Learn to read the landscape
Foraging, folklore and the living history of our landscapes.
There’s an extraordinary amount of history written into the landscapes around us, and quite often it’s the plants that give us the best clues.
Join me on guided walks around Bath, Somerset and the surrounding countryside to explore wild plants, their traditional uses and folklore, and the stories they can tell us about the people who came before us. From old hedgerows and forgotten orchards to familiar plants with unexpected histories, there’s always something worth stopping to look at.
Small-group walks · £30 adults · £20 concessions · under-12s free
A walk, not a lecture
These walks aren’t about rushing through the countryside trying to identify every plant we come across. Instead, we’ll take our time exploring the plants, habitats and historical features along the way, looking at how to recognise different species, their ecological importance and the ways people have used them throughout history.
We’ll explore everything from the practical uses of nettles and the folklore surrounding elder to what an old hedgerow might reveal about former field boundaries or settlements.
There’ll be plenty of opportunities for questions, closer examination and discussion. You don’t need previous experience, just an interest in the places around you and a willingness to look a little closer.
- Generally around two and a half hours
- Maximum 15 participants, including children
- Bath, Somerset and nearby
- Printed learning materials included
Groups may be smaller where the route, habitat, safety or access requirements call for it. Children under 12 join free with a responsible adult and count towards the group limit. Adults are aged 18 and over; the concession rate includes ages 12–17, students, disabled visitors and people on low incomes, with no proof required.
From the hedgerow to the village inn
The places we begin and end our walks have stories of their own. Where possible, I plan circular routes from historic village pubs, traditional inns, heritage landmarks or other practical public meeting points.
An old coaching inn might offer clues to former trade routes, while a village pub may have served generations of agricultural workers and the communities around them. These are potential starting points, rather than agreed venues; each walk’s details will explain the confirmed meeting place, parking and available facilities before booking.
If a walk finishes near a pub or café, you’re welcome to continue the conversation over a drink or something to eat. This is optional, and pub or café purchases are paid for separately unless a particular event says otherwise.
Ask About a Private Walk
From £280 for up to 10 participants.
Experience & Education
Horticulture & Growing
Practical growing across the UK, Europe and North Africa, working with different climates, cultivation practices and approaches to land management. My current work with Roots Allotments includes horticultural education and community growing.
Public Speaking & Education
Festival talks including Crops Not Shops; workshops around Bath and Bristol with Maria from Healing Weeds; talks for Marshfield Gardening Club, other gardening clubs, Women’s Institutes, schools, churches and community organisations. I also deliver regular online seminars, growing classes and workshops with Roots Allotments.
Academic Background
MSc Social & Cultural Theory and undergraduate study in sociology, informing my interest in ethnobotany, human relationships with plants and the social history of landscapes.
My Story
I’ve spent much of my working life growing plants, working with communities and exploring the relationships between people and the landscapes around them.
My horticultural experience has taken me across the UK, Europe and North Africa, working with different growing practices, climates and approaches to cultivating the land. Alongside this, my academic background in sociology and social and cultural theory has shaped my interest in how people interact with, understand and influence their environments.
Today, I work with Roots Allotments, supporting community growing projects, developing educational resources and regularly delivering online seminars, practical workshops and growing classes. I’ve also worked with schools, gardening clubs and community organisations, sharing knowledge about horticulture, ecology and the cultural history of plants.
The Green Thread brings these experiences and interests together. I’ve always been fascinated by what plants can tell us about a place: a species associated with an old settlement, a plant introduced through centuries of trade, or a hedgerow shrub with a remarkable history of folklore and traditional uses.
For me, understanding a plant means looking beyond its identification to its wider ecological, historical and cultural significance. That’s what I hope to share: a greater understanding of the landscapes around us, the people who have shaped them and the plants that connect their stories.
Getting there shouldn’t be the hard part
As someone with lived experience of disability, I know how important it is to have clear information about a route before deciding whether to join it.
I aim to provide practical details about terrain, parking, distance, gradients and facilities, and I’m happy to discuss possible adjustments in advance. Not every countryside route is suitable for every visitor, but nobody should have to guess what to expect.
Talks and workshops
Alongside walks, I deliver talks and workshops exploring horticulture, ethnobotany, folklore and the living history of our landscapes. Sessions range from practical growing and soil health to the stories associated with familiar plants, drawing on experience speaking at festivals and working with gardening clubs, schools, Women’s Institutes and community groups.
Community-group talks start from £130. Workshops and bespoke events are quoted individually.
Get in touch
If you’re interested in a public walk, a private group or a talk for your organisation, tell me a little about what you have in mind and I’ll get back to you.