Roly in his natural habitat , on Froggatt Edge ( photo David Cudworth )
‘ Mr Peak District ’ honoured
As part of the Peak District National Park ’ s 70th birthday celebrations this year , it came up with a project featuring on-line pro�iles of 70 people who have made a major contribution to the Park in its �irst 70 years . Guild vice-president Roly Smith was honoured , as former Head of Information Services at the Park and as a campaigning outdoor journalist , to be included in this select band of ‘ remarkable people who have brought the joy of National Parks to the masses today .’
Born in East Anglia , Roly enjoyed a 20-year career as an award-winning daily paper journalist before joining the National Park staff as an information assistant in 1975 . He edited the quarterly magazine Peak Park News and in 1978 wrote the �irst popular guidebook to the Park , First & Last , which ran to �ive editions selling over 40,000 copies .
He returned to journalism as a feature writer on the Birmingham Post & Mail , winning the Fison ’ s Agricultural Journalist of the Year in 1983 , which resulted in a travel scholarship and comparative study on farm tourism in Bavaria and the Peak District .
He came back to the National Park in 1984 as Head of Information Services , which was where he �irst became known as ' Mr Peak District ’ He was closely involved in the National Parks Awareness Campaign ( 1984-87 ), which culminated in his organisation of the Festival of National Parks at Chatsworth in September 1987 . Attended by Diana , Princess of Wales and 15,000 people , it was the largest public event ever organised by the National Park .
In his role as Head of Information Services for 13 years , he was responsible for a full-time team of seven , including the design team , at the National Park headquarters , and a staff of two full-time and about 30 part-time information assistants and cleaners at the eight visitor centres .
He took voluntary early retirement from the Park in 1997 and continued with his freelance journalism ,
editing and travel writing . He has edited ACID , the popular archaeological magazine produced by the Park and Derbyshire County Council , since 2008 , was a member of the Peak District Local Access Forum for three years from 2018 , and continues to be a member of the Kinder and High Peak Advisory Group .
His personal love affair with the Peak District began on a school youth hostelling holiday in the 1950s , shortly after it had become the �irst National Park in Britain . Numerous walking visits followed , including his �irst memorable encounter with Kinder Scout in the early 1970s .
Roly has always been fascinated with the �ight for access to our countryside , hence his involvement with the organisation of the annual Spirit of Kinder events . He was privileged to have known Benny Rothman , leader of the 1932 Mass Trespass , as a friend , and walked the trespass route with him . He also walked parts of the Pennine Way with its creator , Tom Stephenson , who was also his great friend and mentor .
‘ I have always regarded the Peak District National Park as “ The People ’ s Park ” and as the �irst in Britain , it was situated where it was most needed ,’ said Roly . ‘ It is also one of the most important in Europe , given its position surrounded by the large industrial cities of the North and Midlands .’
Roly was recently described by a reviewer as ‘ one of Britain ’ s most knowledgeable countryside writers ' and is now a freelance writer and editor and the author of over 90 books on walking and the countryside . He is vice president and an honorary life member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild , a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society .
His latest book , Walking Class Heroes ( Signal Press , 2020 ) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the CRoW Act and pro�iled 20 pioneers of the right to roam , from John Clare to Fiona Reynolds , and including his old friends Benny Rothman and Tom Stephenson .
10 outdoor focus / autumn 2021