Julia Bradbury

Julia Bradbury is a presenter on BBC and ITV and a face of the outdoors. Credited with revamping Sunday night primetime television on BBC One’s Countryfile. Described as ‘both authoritative and warm’ by one tv critic, Julia has an impressive career which has seen her launch three television channels, present numerous flagship shows, Watchdog and Top Gear as well as writing several books and turning walking into a primetime hit on the BBC and ITV. She lives in Central London with her partner and three kids. 

What are you up to at the moment?

via theoutdoorguide.com

In 2016, I was busy promoting my new book Unforgettable Walks (published by Quercus) that tells the story of the walks shown on the primetime ITV series Best Walks With a View. It’s a relaxing ramble through the stories of the places I visited in the series, including the beloved Lake District, Anglesey, the Jurassic Coast and the area I grew up walking, the Peak District. In the book I explain how we make the programmes, talk about some of the colourful characters I meet and how walking has changed my life.

Last year I proudly created The Greek Islands with Julia Bradbury for ITV with Twofour Productions in which I traced my Greek heritage around the shimmering Greek coastline.  The nature, wildlife, Greek culture, history and food made this a hugely popular series and one of the highest rated travel programmes on ITV. Nowdays, I am involved in a website called the Outdoor Guide which celebrates all things outdoorsy and offers tips and information on all sorts of things including accommodation and downloadable walking routes. I can currently be seen on my latest outdoor adventure Cornwall & Devon Walks with Julia Bradbury. Throughout the series, I champion messages about mental health and how important green spaces and nature are to us all.  “Get your Vitamin N – we all need Vitamin Nature!”

What was your favourite place to visit in London as a kid and why?

View of The Tower of London, an official K-Rated attraction, from across the Thames

The Tower of London. I loved the Line of Kings armour display which shows all the elaborate and beautiful suits of armour worn by kings over the centuries. The life size wooden horses are dramatic as dramatic as well. Check out Henry VIII’s codpiece, it’s quite small.

Where in the UK would you recommend to another family?

Julia in Malham Cove via theoutdoorguide.co.uk

Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales or anywhere in the Peak District. I’m also a big fan of forests and woodlands and there’s a great website called Camping in the Forest to inspire. If you want a completely unique experience, my friend Amanda Owen lives on a farm called Ravenseat in Keld, North Yorkshire. You can go and stay in a shepherds hut and have dinner in the farmhouse with her family – eight kids, three dogs and one husband called Clive. The hut isn’t big enough entire families but she’s working on it…

Where’s your favourite place to eat with your family?

via atravelerslibrary.com

Giraffe at Heathrow Terminal 5. It means we’re going on a big adventure.

Best place to catch a film

The Electric on Portobello Road

Electric Cinema on Portobello Road; super comfy leather armchairs and a glass of vino! They also do an Electric Scream screening every Monday morning – all adults must be accompanied by a baby (under 1 year).

Bus, tube or taxi?

The bus is one way to beat the traffic

All of the above. I try and walk to as many appointments as possible and using the tube and buses is the only way to beat the traffic if you need to speed up the journey.