Unbelievably clear and bright morning by the Wish Tower in Eastbourne. Looks like about 50 people walking today! So glad to get the first gig under the belt. Lots of new songs. Fantastic to have Benji, Rowan and Boff back in the team. The journey begins here. JJ

Listen to tonight’s Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe from BBC Radio 2 for a first exclusive play of one of the new tracks for the walking tour (starts around 30:49).

Also a namecheck for walkers Kay and Charlie at 54.50!

With one week to go before the walk, there are only a few tickets left for the gigs on the Wednesday (Houghton) and Friday (Wickham). There are still tickets available for Hassocks (Tuesday) and for both the opening show in Hailsham and the closing show in Winchester.

Here we are, about to undertake the 5th Walking Tour; swapping songs, listening to last year’s live recordings, cleaning boots!! and finalising rehearsals, pub stops, interviews and hoping the sun will shine. It is by far the most unpredictable and spontaneous thing that I do as a musician and I have learnt to ‘go with it’….to let it find its own pace and narrative. The ‘unholy alliance’ of Walking and Gigging turns out to have a strangely calming, almost spiritual dimension as well as the fun and the hard work and to share that with people is a joy. There are new songs to sing, others from Rising Road to re-discover, and an endless flow of stories to tell that will arise on the journey. To gather people round you, walk all day, and find somewhere welcoming to end the day with a great pint and sing for your supper….Hey, that has to be good. JJ [NB tour runs 26 May-1 June  – join us for walks, gigs or both].

More news on the Reluctant Ramblers and guests for this year’s walking tour. “The Ramblers are – as always – Dil Davies, Al Scott and Tim Cotterell; and at the opening gig in Hailsham we shall be joined by Boff (Chumbawamba), Benji Kirkpatrick (Bellowhead) and Rowan Godel (who sang on Rising Road and is the beautiful voice on Oysterband’s Street of Dreams). Benji and Boff will be walking all week, and Rowan will rejoin us for some of the later gigs. We have also just heard that members of The Copper Family will be joining us at our Bank Holiday Monday session at The Trevor Arms, Glynde at the end of our first day’s walk. I am so pleased. I really couldn’t have passed through that part of the Sussex Downs, walking and playing music, without them knowing; and to have them join us is just wonderful. To walk along the cliffs to Beachy Head and Seven Sisters, along the Downs and to share songs and music in the evening with The Ramblers and The Coppers. Hey…Heaven!” JJ