TAKING life at a more leisurely pace has not slowed up achievements for conservationist and rambler, Clive Bostle of Evesham.

Clive is vice-chairman of the Worcestershire Area of the Ramblers Association, current Chairman of Evesham Rambling Club, leader of Evesham U3A's Over Four Miles walking group, a representative of the walking interest on the Worcestershire Local Access Forum and a committee member of CPRE's Wychavon Branch.

Inroads

In these roles he is making great inroads towards promoting local heritage and generally working towards conserving the countryside.

Walking plays an important part in his life but although he enjoys the activity, it's his personal interest in industrial archaeology, landscape and transport history that also takes him out and about.

Reasons

"People walk for many reasons," he said.

"Some do it mainly as a form of beneficial exercise and may not really notice anything on the way. Others walk for different reasons - just having a day out in the open air and enjoying a pint in a country pub with like-minded folk is as good as any!"

He added: "My interests in landscape and transport history mean that I may be looking out for ancient woodland or an abandoned railway line," he said.

Working closely with Wychavon District Council, Clive has helped develop the proposed three-mile Evesham Riverside Walk.

Evesham Rambling Club, which has a membership of 80 and meets twice a month for a Sunday and a mid-week walk, has taken on the responsibility of 'housekeeping' the Riverside Walk.

"This will involve monitoring the condition of the path and its 'furniture ', plus clearing up any litter. It 's something we agreed with the District Council when the project was first set up," he said.

As a member of the Simon de Montfort Society, he is presently working to establish a 'Battlefield Trail' round the site of the Battle of Evesham and which may also have links to the Riverside Walk via Blayneys Lane and Deadman's Ait. "We hope the Trail may be opened next August but nothing is certain yet," he said.

Wherever he's lived, Clive has helped keep open rights of way that were in danger of disappearing through neglect. Nowadays, the focus is on using partnerships to achieve convenient and careful access to the countryside for all but always respecting the interests of those who live and work there.