Local Legends – Patrick Norris Walking Guide

Patrick Norris - Walking Guide

Who are you?
My name is Patrick Norris and I'm a qualified walking guide living and guiding in Northumberland.

What is your business?
My business is Footsteps in Northumberland and I take people out on guided walks in all parts of Northumberland, the coast, the National Park, the Borders, along Hadrian's Wall and many places in between. I have a love of history, wildlife and wild places, three things that Northumberland has in abundance and all subjects I like to share with people who join our guided walks.

How did you get started with what you do?
I began leading guided walks for HF Holidays in 2003, which gave me the confidence to develop as a walk leader. Eventually, life and job changes gave me the opportunity to establish a guided walks business here in Northumberland in 2011. The seed had been sown in 1992, when I toyed with the idea of developing a walking business on Dartmoor; it wasn't the right time and it took another 20-years for the project to come to fruition.

What do you like most about living in Northumberland?
That rare combination of landscapes, a wonderful coast, the wild and remote hill country in the National Park, the Northern Frontier of the Roman Empire, Hadrian's Wall and a whole lot of history to go with it.

What’s your greatest achievement?
It would have to be working with a team of great volunteers to establish an Open Award Centre for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme in Swindon. Our aim was to train them in and develop their expedition skills. From humble beginnings, we established a centre attended by up to 60-young people and helped many to achieve their DofE Awards at Bronze, Silver and Gold; good times indeed.

How can people find out more about what you do?
We have a website www.footstepsnorthumberland.co.uk/# and you can find us on Facebook too at www.facebook.com/footstepsnorthumberland