FOLLOWING in the footsteps of famous naturalist Gilbert White – but backwards this time – is the aim of walker Rosemary Irwin.
Chairman of the trustees at Gilbert White’s House, Rosemary raised £23,000 last year when she walked from Selborne to Oriel College, Oxford.
And, starting on Friday, she will make the trek again, this time from Oxford to his house at Selborne.
Rosemary is following, over three weekends, a route of approximately 50 miles well trodden by White 250 years ago.
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The route is: Oxford to Goring on April 22-24, Goring to Nuneham Green on April 29 to May 1, and Nuneham Green to Selborne on May 7-8.
A £1.6m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund was pledged to Gilbert White’s House last month, and the museum now has to match that funding. All the proceeds from the walk will go into that museum pot.
Rosemary said the museum project when finished would be a “worthy monument”. Visit www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk