The Sussex path that's been shortlisted as one of Britain's favourite routes
This May, countless people nationwide shared images and stories about the paths they cherish most, participating in The Ramblers' quest to find the country's beloved route.
The Ramblers path was nominated by Jeremy Cook-Abbott. (Image: Jeremy Cook-Abbott) Now in its second year, the competition invites nominations of treasured pathways, each accompanied by personal anecdotes and picturesque photographs.
A panel of expert judges, including celebrity Jeff Brazier, has whittled down the entries to one path from each of the eight geographical categories.
The public vote will decide which of these places will win the coveted title.
In the running for Britain's beloved route is a favourite from the southeast: a path in Halnaker, near Chichester, nominated by Jeremy Cook-Abbott.
He said: "It leads up a hill to a windmill in Sussex.
"The joy is in the tree-tunnelled sunken path itself, as it changes due to the play of light, not only from season to season but from hour to hour.
"A glorious path."
Head judge Jeff Brazier, impressed by the entries, said: "With so many emotive stories and picture-perfect paths submitted, it was challenging to choose just one winner from each category.
"I know I'll be adding a lot of new paths to my 'must visit' list after reading about them.
"The entries that really stood out to me were the paths that people walked again and again because walking there made them feel good, the path bought back personal memories or helped them find peace.
"Now it's over to the public to choose the overall winner and I can't wait to see which one wins."
Around 1,000 submissions were received, nearly doubling the entries from last year.
The shortlisting of entries was a collaborative effort with Brazier and four dedicated Ramblers volunteers, who help in the charity's mission to safeguard and upkeep paths all over the UK.
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These volunteers included Paul Howland, who aids in mapping paths through the Ramblers' Don't Lose Your Way campaign, and Chitra Ramachandran, who works with councils and other volunteers to resolve issues on local paths.
Outdoor ambassador and graduate of the Ramblers' free Out There Award, Dipam Sharma, and outdoor campaigner Debbie North, who was recently appointed as the UK Government's Disability and Access Ambassador for the countryside, also lent their expertise.
Lucy Sutton and Suzanne Goldsmith, from Cotswold Outdoor, which sponsored the competition, rounded off the judging panel.
Last year's favourite, Thursley Common Boardwalk in Surrey, will be showcased on digital screens at railway stations nationwide during the public voting period.
To vote for the path you think deserves to be crowned Britain's Favourite for 2025, visit www.ramblers.org.uk/competition and cast your vote by 11pm on July 31.
Only one vote per person will be counted and the winning path will be the one with the highest number of votes when the public vote closes.
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