As one of the country's best loved 'outdoorsy' TV presenters and a well known walker, Julia Bradbury is a big fan of the UK's Great Outdoors.
Perhaps most known for presenting Countryfile until recently, she's also the Camping and Caravan Club President and therefore the perfect person to kick off our new series of Expert Interviews.
Hi Julia, thanks for taking part. Can we start by asking about your best camping memory?
As a teenager I used to camp in the garden with my best friend from school. We loved the independence even though our parents were watching over us from the house! I think my love of camping started there... great memories!
We remember those days! What about your favourite place in the UK?
Now that is a difficult question! In my work I have been lucky enough to travel extensively around the UK and really cannot pinpoint just one favourite. However, Castle Crag in the Lake District is definitely on my list. It is a lovely family walk and I can't wait to take Zeph, my son, there with me.
We recently asked the same question in one of our surveys and the Lake District is always popular. It's a beautiful part of the world. Is there a particular view you love?
One of the most rewarding was reaching the top of Scafell Pike when I was filming the first series of The Wainwright's Walks. It took forever for the crew and I to get there and it was tough going - we finally reached the summit at dusk and it was the most fantastic feeling. Sadly it was a bit too dark and cloudy to be able to get the best of the view, but it was still an exhilarating feeling.
What about beaches? Do you have a favourite beach?
If you push me today for a decision I'm going to drift contentedly along the coastline and head towards the unfortunately named Slapton Sands in South Devon. It may not have a quixotic name but Slapton is blessed with a beautiful beach.
I was lucky enough to picnic there on a scorching hot summer day, cracking into local crab. The back drop of a shaggy verdant cliff face adds to the beauty of this stunning pebble beach which would make even the most lacklustre of sandwiches taste good.
That doesn't sound lacklustre at all! When people think about travel, it's often far flung destinations that people dream about, but there's a lot of great stuff to explore here at home too. What one thing would you recommend everyone has on their bucket list?
Waking up in the morning and enjoying a brew and a bowl of baked beans surrounded by trees and fields. They say the best things in life are free and this is as good as it gets!
Good advice! As an experienced walker, what is the best walking advice you could give?
Wear two pairs of socks to prevent blisters, always take an Ordnance Survey map if you're going to unchartered territory and remember that if it's sunny at the foot of a mountain, that doesn't mean it's sunny at the top, so always take waterproofs and a warm top, whatever the weather!
It's never the wrong weather, it's the wrong clothes worn!
Your career takes you far and wide, but where in the UK do you keep going back to?
Home to my family either in Rutland or London. It's amazing to be on the road doing something that I love, but being back at home with the family and not having to live out of a suitcase is something I try to fit in when I can!
You mentioned camping earlier. Do you have a worst camping experience you can share?
In my early years in television I had to experience camping in the woods. I had to make my own tent out of twigs and leaves, weaving them to make a roof over myself. Unfortunately, it did not keep out the "nasties" and I ended up waking at dawn with creepy crawlies all over my face. Not a pretty sight all round!
Creepy crawlies aside then, who would your ideal camping companion be?
Without doubt my son! Sharing my love of the great outdoors with him is a constant joy. He loves learning and I love teaching, so we make a great team!
We've had some great suggestions for camping companions, but you certainly can't beat family. What do you always take with you on a trip?
Wet wipes and Waterproofs! The two VIP "Ws".
What about strange things? Is there anything weird that you always pack?
Dental floss! As Julia Roberts said in Pretty Woman "you shouldn't neglect your gums."
And what about things everyone should leave behind when packing?
Anything you wouldn't want ruined by mud or water! As Baloo would say "just take the bear necessities!"
We can't argue with that! Much like yourself, we're big advocates of what the UK has to offer. What does the Great British outdoors mean to you?
Everything! I have been lucky to combine my love of the outdoors with a career and for that I am grateful for every day. Having the liberty to explore our amazing isle really is a dream come true as it makes me realise how blessed we are to live in such an amazing part of the world.
In addition, it really brings home how much we should look after our country. I have become very ecologically minded as I see first-hand how vulnerable the great outdoors is.
And finally, as a fellow supporter of the Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code, why is sun safety important to you?
As most of us know, the sun is wonderful but it has a dark side and that is its ability to cause skin cancer. I am a very moley person so I am considered high risk to melanoma and have long been aware that early detection of this, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is essential in successful treatment. I got my moles checked recently at the Royal Marsden and the charity filmed this to help raise awareness.
Ah yes, there's a video of that!
Thanks for taking part Julia - we look forward to your new ITV shows!
Campsites UK joins Julia Bradbury in supporting the Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code to protect children from the harmful effects of the sun while outdoors. If you're interested in finding out more about the work they do, please visit the oksunsafetycode.com website.
