Geographers to walk the route of new power line

The walkers, led by geography staff from the University of Exeter, will explore the route of the proposed power line from Nailsea in Somerset to Avonmouth near Bristol.

The walk will be documented and published as part of the Royal Geographical Society’s Discovering Britain initiative, which says that “every landscape has a story to tell”.

The 400kV power line will be built as part of the infrastructure for the new Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset.

“Our aim is to explore the value of landscapes and the impacts that changes bring, with a particular interest in changes that are proposed and imagined but not yet in place,” said Patrick Devine-Wright, Professor in Human Geography at the University of Exeter.

“Walking is our chosen method because we want to engage with the landscape directly in a sensory way and use the walk to meet and engage with residents, walkers and whoever (and whatever) we meet along the path.

“The people we meet will know more about the area than we do, and will be directly affected by change.”

The group will set off on Friday 19 May at 2pm from the Blue Flame pub near Nailsea for a walk along footpaths and minor roads to Portishead.

They will set off from there the next morning, aiming to arrive at Avonmouth at lunchtime on Saturday 20 May.

As the walk will be documented for Discovering Britain, people will be able to download and walk the route again once the new pylons are in place.

Anyone wishing to take part is welcome to join some or all of the walk.

To find out more, email Patrick Devine-Wright at p.g.devine-wright@exeter.ac.uk or phone 07904 775076.