Steph Bradley interviews Eve Carnall about The Buzz Tour.

What inspired you to do this?

Last year I read Journey through Britain written by John Hillaby in 1970. He describes heartwarming adventures but also various places that now don’t exist, rare wildflower areas and forests. I became interested in the idea of normalisation – that each generation thinks their experience is normal. Something that would be utterly unacceptable in one go, happens over two generations. I want to value the wisdom in our people and inspire young people to see themselves as part of a future where we have succeeded in reducing climate change.

Where and when will you walk, and for how long?

The detail of the walk is flexible, if someone wants us to divert a short way to them we’d love to. The rough route is to leave from Totnes in late April, then head to Bristol, Norwich, Manchester, York, the lake district, and along Hadrians Wall to Berwick-upon-Tweed. I aim to be at the Scottish border by July. So much of our media and cultural dialogue is dominated by London that there are a great many untold stories elsewhere.

What are you most looking forward to?

The random connections and getting to know my people and country better. When you throw yourself out into something new it changes you, and provides space for wonderful things to happen. There are some big challenges ahead, and I look forward to seeing myself and others rise to them.