History in the hills! TV presenter heads to Staffordshire Moorlands to lead guided walk and talk
Presenter and author Mary-Ann Ochota is coming to Warslow on Saturday, 4 May to give a talk and guided walk on Staffordshire’s local landscape history, as part of the Staffordshire Moorlands Walking Festival. She’ll give a talk on ‘Hidden Histories: How to be a Landscape Detective’ at the Greyhound Inn at Warslow, then, together with local walk leaders, guide the group on a 4-mile history walk through the surrounding hills and fields.
“I’m thrilled to be heading to the beautiful Staffs Moorlands on Bank Holiday weekend. There’s so much history to explore – I’ll be talking about some of the extraordinary features you can spot in the British landscape – if you know what clues to look for. Then we’ll be walking through more than 4,000 years of history in four short miles! Generations of people have shaped the countryside, from burial mounds to mines, hill summits to grand halls, and ancient fields to ancient churches. We’ll be rewarded with views from the Revidge trig point across the medieval field systems, Ecton and beyond. It’s one of the best views in the Peak District.”
“The walk will be leisurely, with plenty of stops and time to talk, discuss and explore the landscapes we can see, and learn a little more about the history of Warslow and the surrounding area. I hope people will come away inspired to do their own detective work too – wherever you are, there’s always a story to tell and a history to unearth.”
The field barns in the southwest Peak District are a distinctive feature – and a real tribute to the hard work of previous generations, built by families to ensure their cattle had food and shelter in harsh winters. Some are still used, whilst others give us clues about how farming has changed. Now these barns and the remains of other ‘forgotten farmsteads’ are important historical sites. They’re also amazing habitats for wildlife – many different species rely on these man-made structures to find homes, shelter and food.
“It’ll be a fun day – this isn’t dry, dusty history. I hope it’ll be interesting for all ages. Being a ‘landscape detective’ is a bit addictive – once you’re hooked you can’t stop! You’re looking for clues, trying to puzzle out the story of what happened in this place. This is history hidden in plain sight, just waiting to be noticed.”
Mary-Ann grew up in nearby Cheshire, then went on to study at Cambridge University. She has presented cult archaeology show Time Team with Tony Robinson, and has hosted documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic, Smithsonian and Discovery, and co-hosted series Mystic Britain with Clive Anderson, which recently aired on Channel 5. This summer she’ll be presenting a new show for online channel History Hit.
Mary-Ann is also President of CPRE, the Countryside Charity. Saturday’s event is hosted by CPRE Staffordshire, who are committed to making Staffordshire's countryside a better place for everyone to live, work and enjoy. Mary-Ann explains: “Our land is a finite resource and our countryside is facing so many pressures – from where to build new homes and businesses, how to manage our farmland to produce food as well as protect nature, as well as how to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, protect homes from flooding, plant more trees, restore peatland habitats and so much more. And of course helping more people connect to and spend time in the countryside. It’s good for our health, our social wellbeing, and the local rural economy. We need our countryside to thrive – the more people understand and feel like they belong to these landscapes, the more we can speak up for them. It’s brilliant that CPRE Staffs are supporting the walking festival – helping people love the countryside is what it’s all about.”
“I’ve been lucky to explore around the world. But the landscapes I love most are the ones closer to home. We sometimes take the variety of landscapes we have in the UK for granted, and the depth of history under our feet. But they’re world class.”
Mary-Ann’s upbeat talk will be approximately one hour long from 10.30am – 11.30am, and the ticket price a hot drink and breakfast roll (including sausages from the local butcher and vegetarian options). The walk will begin from the Greyhound Inn at around 11.30am and finish at the Inn around 3pm. Tickets are available for the talk only, the walk only or the walk and talk combined. Book your tickets here: tickettailor.com/events/cprestaffordshire/1654482
The route may be muddy, so bring decent walking shoes or boots, and bring a packed lunch and drink.
