I grew up in Nottingham but enjoyed frequent visits to Derbyshire as a schoolboy. I went on to teach English in Barcelona, Tokyo, Johor Bahru and Prague before returning to Britain to work at the University of Nottingham. My other books include Academic Writing, a Handbook for International Students (Routledge) and Heartlands, A Guide to DH Lawrence’s Midlands Roots (Matador).

My first book on the history of Derbyshire’s roads was The Derbyshire Portway: Pilgrimage to the Past (Scarthin), and my latest work, The Old Roads of Derbyshire, is the result of years of research on this topic, both in the library and on walks with friends and family.

I now live near Matlock within view of Alport Height with my wife, daughter and cat. When I’m not walking, I enjoy baking, practising Spanish and sampling local beer in some of Derbyshire’s fantastic pubs.

My aim with this blog is to provide a companion to my book in helping you explore Derbyshire’s amazing network of roads, paths and tracks. There is a regularly updated selection of posts including historical research and pictures of interesting local walks.