The Nelson Way

About the Book

This 424 mile long distance walk described in detail in both directions encompasses a reminder of Britain's naval heritage and England's finest sailor Horatio Nelson.

It follows a route from Burnham Thorpe in Norfolk (Nelson's birthplace), linking locations associated with Nelson, along coastlines and rivers, across broads, through villages, towns and cities, over heathland, across fields, through forests and over hills. The route is presented in 17 sections, and, within, further shorter sub-sections, which allows the walker to choose a part or direction of the walk. Its 210 pages contain 43 illustrations and 18 maps.

Leaving the Rectory where Nelson was born the route encompasses locations of his childhood on the north Norfolk coast. At North Walsham the route passes Nelson's former school, and then goes on across the Norfolk Broads to Gt Yarmouth, a town Nelson knew well. The route maintains a nautical theme as it goes along the Suffolk coast and into Essex. After crossing Essex it joins the Lea Valley navigation, affording an excellent route towards Greenwich. Much Nelson history is to be seen in Greenwich including The Painted Hall, where Nelson lay in state prior to his funeral. Proceeding on along the south bank of the River Thames the route crosses over the Millennium Bridge and goes up to St Paul's Cathedral, in the crypt lays Nelson. The route passes through Trafalgar Square and leaves London alongside the River Thames. Passing Richmond the route goes on to Kingston. Using the Downs Link it crosses Surrey to Box Hill and Burford Bridge Hotel, a place where Nelson stopped for a while on his last night on English soil before the Battle of Trafalgar.

The walk finishes at HMS Victory (Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar) in the Historic Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth.

About the Author

Leslie Ham is the author of The Orange Way a long distance path following the route of the march of Prince William of Orange from Brixham to London in 1688. Leslie's interest in walking began in the 1960's in the North Downs, later completing many of the Long Distance footpaths in Southern England. These included the South Downs Way, North Downs Way, Thames Path, Ridgeway, Vanguard Way, Greensand Way, Thames Valley Heritage Walk, London Countryside Way and several canal side routes. Abroad he has trekked on five Continents, including the Himalayas, New Zealand, China, South Africa, mainland France, Corsica, Spain, Romania, Patagonia, Peru, Bolivia and Mali.

In addition to walking his other main interests include travel, photography, history, genealogy, archaeology, music, poetry, modern art, target shooting, computers and things art deco. A resident of Weybridge for 34 years, Leslie was born in Burnley, Lancashire. He spent his formative years in Blackpool but has also lived in Kirkham, Hucknall, Nottingham, Derby, Blackburn and several locations in West London. From 1957 he spent two years doing his National Service in Aldershot, Cyprus and Jordan.

In 1960 he joined BOAC, which later merged with BEA to become British Airways and spent a total of 35 interesting years at London Airport. Since he took early retirement in 1995 he has thoroughly enjoyed his freedom and concentrated on the above with difficulty. After completing The Orange Way he then looked around for a second historical figure on which to base a walk and finally chose Horatio Nelson to coincide with the bi-centenary of the battle of Trafalgar in October 2005.

Leslie is investigating a further project for another walking guidebook also with a historical theme.