4.6 • 732 Ratings
🗓️ 16 October 2025
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Clare explores a six-mile loop of the Chater Valley in this week’s Ramblings. Her companion is Will Hetherington who wrote to the programme inviting Clare to join him. He wanted to share his story of sudden bereavement, and the positivity that ultimately emerged from it.
Tragically, in 2017, Will’s first wife, Wendy, took her own life. It was an enormous shock, bringing with it what Will describes as “complicated grief.” However, a remark at her funeral about a long walk Will and Wendy had once done together led to the suggestion that he organise a group walk in her name. Sixty people turned up for that first hike, and it’s now grown into a regular event known as Walk for Wendy.
Will says walking has been a wonderful way for him to process his emotions, and for others to step away from the daily grind and open up about the things that affect them. His passion for the outdoors has even led him to publish a series of books about walking in the local area.
Clare and Will met in North Luffenham, continued onto Pilton, Wing, Lyndon and then completed their circuit by returning to North Luffenham. This is Clare's second consecutive walk in Rutland... check out last week's episode where she ambled around the Hambleton Peninsula with the comedian, Mark Steel. Map: OS Explorer 234 - Rutland Water (approaching the southern edge of the map) Map Ref: SK 935 033 for Church Street where they started - and ended - the walk
If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, including urgent support, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Presenter: Clare Balding Producer: Karen Gregor
A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4
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| 0:10.0 | It's such a wonderful listen. |
| 0:11.7 | So nice. |
| 0:12.5 | There are loads more like it on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:14.8 | Different paces, different heights, the roof is buckling. |
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| 0:20.2 | It's right foot goes for goal. |
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| 0:39.7 | Sort of expecting that every week now. |
| 0:46.5 | Over the 25 years that we've been doing rambling, so I've tried to explore most of the UK, |
| 0:51.7 | but one of the counties I think we've visited the least is the smallest county, which is Rutland. |
| 0:54.5 | So think of this as a way of making up for it. |
| 1:00.3 | So two programmes running. I'm walking in Rutland. Last week, you'll have heard me with Mark Steele, who was performing his show, Mark Steele's in town, in Oakham, and we were walking on the |
| 1:05.7 | edge of Rutland Water. And today, well, I'm going to let Will Hetherington, who is my guest and my guide, |
| 1:12.7 | explain exactly where we are, because you would describe this as... |
| 1:16.2 | I would describe this as the heart of Rutland. It's rural, tranquil, very, very quiet, Rutland. |
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