Oh, Doctor Beeching!

Introduction

Which DVD site is so dedicated to bringing you great reviews that they send their DVD reviewers out into the wilds of Britain? Yes, this one. My wife & I have been out and walked the Monsal Trail as featured in episode one of this DVD. That, dear readers, is commitment to the cause. We've also got a good suggestion for the next series, a very good walk along the old railway line from Keswick. Anyway, on with the DVD...



In the 1960s, thousands of railway lines across the country were closed after the Beeching report. Many of these lines and their wonderful scenery have now become walking trails, and are enjoyed by ramblers and cyclists (where appropriate). Britain's lost rail empire has become a paradise for those looking to get away from it all. The walks featured in this series, first broadcast on BBC Four in Autumn 2008 are:-

The Monsal Trail
The Mawddach Trail
Cornwall's Mineral Tramways
The Strathspey Railway
The Rodwell Trail & Portland
Callender to Loch Tay

Video and Audio

An excellent 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, as first broadcast. Nothing wrong from a technical point of view and the ideal way to witness some of the stunning scenery that these fair isles have to offer. If watching this doesn't make you want to get out and go walking around the country, nothing will.

We also get a DD2.0 stereo soundtrack, again as first broadcast, and again perfectly fine technically.

Extra Features

A picture gallery and a Julia Bradbury biography (if anyone cares for such a thing).

Conclusion

So this is a DVD of someone walking in the countryside then? Well, essentially that's what it boils down to, but it's really so much more than that. There's information about each walk, background information about the areas featured, bits of railway history and also a few chats with some local people along the way. Like Wainwright Walks before it, it's a great advert for walking in the UK (and these walks are much flatter and easier!) These are walks steeped in history, and a fascinating insight into industrial Britain.



I think that anyone who enjoys walking in general will be interested in this DVD. If you enjoyed the TV series then you might like to watch it again. It's a handy tool for preparing for a walk (how often do you get a proper visual introduction to a walk you're doing?) and it's also good for reminding you what you did (and remembering all those things you took photos of). There's some interesting history to learn about too.

Recommended.