Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Most of us have a favourite short walk.

It may be a stroll along a beach, taking in a section of the county's glorious coastline, a moorland hike, perhaps a route that takes in a friendly pub or simply a footpath close to where you live.

To celebrate its 25 years in the county, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Devon has created a guide to the county's favourite walks - as suggested by listeners.

There's a wealth of possibilities out there, as keen walkers Sue Britton and Eric Wallis are both well aware.

Sue is chairman of Plymouth Ramblers and Eric is secretary of the South West Coast Path Association.

Leave your worries behind

Sue finds walking a great way to unwind.

Unwind with a walk says Sue Britton

"There's nothing more stress relieving, I think, than going out to somewhere like Dartmoor and feeling the wind in your face. You seem to leave your problems behind," she said.

She summed up the ingredients of a perfect short walk as scenery, a little bit of a challenge - perhaps a climb to see a wonderful view - and selecting the right walk for the right season.

"Certainly at different times of the year you can have a different experience - the flowers and trees and colours that you get," she said.

"Walking in the winter is wonderful when you get the frost on the trees, so in the winter you aim for that sort of thing.

"In the spring you tend to want to go and walk through woods because the bluebells you get around here are just beautiful."

Eric Wallis shares Sue's passion for walking.

As secretary of the user group for Britain's longest national trail - the 630 mile coast path which runs from Minehead to Poole - his favourite walks tend to be centred around the coastline.

A favourite spot for Eric Wallis

See Britain at its best

"I am biased of course," he said. "For me the best short walk should be coastal and preferably halfway along have a nice village pub and then to go home feeling you have seen Britain at its best."

One particular stroll he enjoys is to Mothecombe beach at the mouth of the River Erme, close to his home in the South Hams.

"It's one of the best parts of the coast path. The beauty of the Erme estuary is that it's completely undeveloped all the way through and so free from traffic and pollution.

"We always get up fairly early on Christmas Day and walk along to the beach, sit on the rocks and have coffee and mince pies.

"It is amazing how many people come here on Christmas Day morning. It's because it is absolutely beautiful.

Looking across to the Erme Estuary

"Last year we were here and as a bonus we saw some gorgeous seals swimming up the river. It was superb."

Sue's favourite strolls are on the moor and Eric's are on the coast.

As Devon has thousands of miles of footpaths and open spaces, there's a wealth of opportunity for walking in the county's glorious countryside.

The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Devon "25 walks for 25 years" project ran throughout 2008 - you can read the walks and listen to them using the links on this page.