Going Dutch in Dorset

Clare Balding joins a unique family ramble in Dorset. She is walking from Osmington Mills to Weymouth with Simon Waley and his three Dutch sons-in-law. They are here, from their home in the Netherlands, for a three day hike along a stretch of the South West Coastal Path. Simon is British; he met and married a Dutch woman and moved to the Netherlands more than twenty five years ago. They have three daughters and each met a Dutch man. For the first time, Simon – a very keen walker, who regularly comes back to the UK – is bringing his three Dutch sons-in-law to experience long-distance British trekking. He says the culture of walking is very different in the Netherlands where every square inch of land has a specific purpose, there aren’t many public footpaths, and agricultural land is out of bounds. When people do walk, it’s usually in huge, organised groups along a network of rural roads. Simon wants his family to experience both the freedom of British walking and the unique delight of youth-hostelling, something they haven’t done before.

Producer: Karen Gregor