So what are ECHOES?
Each county has a highest point, or summit. An 'original' summit is a natural one which has not been greatly altered by human activity but an 'engineered' summit is one that humans have constructed. Engineered summits could be ancient hill forts, burial mounds, tarmac roads.
The newest ECHOES was constructed in 1999 in Nottinghamshire. The previous highest elevation of 204 metres was in the middle of a built up area and so a new high point of 205 metres has been constructed by piling extra earth on top of an old slag heap which is being landscaped as part of a colliery reclamation project.
How did ECHOES start?
The idea for the ECHOES walks came from John Eckersley. On a family holiday to Cornwall, having climbed to the top of Brown Willy, (the highest point in Cornwall), John's wife Nancy wondered whether they would be able to get to the top of all the counties in England. Some years later, John and Nancy researched possible routes and collected the walks together in the ECHOES book.
The first national ECHOES walk took place on 7 May 2000. Groups from schools across the country ascended their local high point to celebrate the Millennium, and at the same time raised money for Christian Aid.
What is Christian Aid?
An agency of the churches in the UK and Ireland, Christian Aid works wherever the need is greatest, irrespective of religion. It supports local organisations, which are best placed to understand local needs, as well as giving help on the ground through 16 overseas offices.
Christian Aid believes in strengthening people to find their own solutions to the problems they face. It strives for a new world transformed by an end to poverty and campaigns to change the rules that keep people poor.
In 2005 Christian Aid joined together with Comic Relief, Oxfam, CAFOD, churches, trades unions and a host of celebrities and organisations in what became a powerful coalition against world poverty: MAKE POVERTY HISTORY. Money raised by the ECHOES walks was given to this appeal.
In 2006, all ECHOES walks monies will be directed to Christian Aid's continuing work in raising living standards among the world's poorest communities.
Where are the ECHOES?
The majority of ECHOES lie in areas where there are established public rights of access, such as paths and bridleways, or on National Trust properties. In some cases where there is no legal right of access, landowners have in the past generously given permission for individuals to reach a summit point. Such concessions in no way confer any general rights of public access and walkers should request prior permission before walking on private property.
Two walks, (Durham and Devon) cross military training areas and some go over grouse shooting moors so it is essential to check that there is no firing likely to take place when a walk is planned.
How long does it take to walk to an ECHOES?
Each of the ECHOES is included in a longer walk of about 10 miles in length and for the majority of these itineraries there is a shorter option of about 5 miles.
With the exception of two itineraries, (Durham and Cornwall), all walks are circular and so can be made into self-contained single day excursions.