2020 has certainly been an interesting year. Seven months in and we are mastering balancing home schooling, working from home and social distancing. We have had to learn how to play again, with lots of family time, and we have discovered hidden paths in our local neighbourhoods as we took advantage of the one-hour exercise limit.

As the months have passed and some restrictions have eased, our enjoyment for walking has become a new constant. Many of us find ourselves wandering paths we never knew existed, finding hidden gems for solace and peace, and noticing the wildlife around us.

I am extremely lucky to live in a suburban city. I only need to take a short walk and I can either be walking along the river, along the canal or into the countryside. There are two nature reserves within three miles of my house, which I have taken advantage of during the lockdown period, often taking my binoculars and camera just in case something catches my eye.

One of my favourite walks in Lancaster takes in the footpaths around Fairfield. There are several footpaths which can make the walk longer or shorter. My mum used to walk these paths (the pads as she called them) when she was a girl, walking the greyhounds before school.

The pads have recently re-opened, thanks to the Fairfield Association, who have been developing this site since 1996. A five-minute walk from my house and I am soon on the footpaths of the pads, surrounded by green pastures, hedgerows and the sounds of chattering birds. The re-opened paths lead towards the Lancaster canal where kingfishers, mallards and the occasional goosander greet me.