To celebrate National Walking Month, we’re shining a spotlight on some amazing guided walks in the South Downs that really are like stepping back in time!

The “In Their Footsteps” walking tours celebrate some of the many great writers, poets, artists, musicians and naturalists who have drawn inspiration from the beautiful landscape and wildlife over the centuries.

And the best part about the guided tour – it’s totally free and you can enjoy at your own pace on your mobile phone!

Why not begin your time-travelling adventure by walking the path trodden by one of the global pioneers of natural history, Gilbert White?

The Gilbert White walk incorporates a 5.6km/3.5 mile loop around the naturalist’s house in the picturesque village of Selborne and the countryside he walked. It was those observations of the natural world on White’s doorstep that led to The Natural History of Selborne in 1789 – a title that remains the fourth-longest constantly-in-print book in the English language (after the King James Bible, the Complete Works of Shakespeare and The Pilgrim’s Progress).

The tour includes fascinating audio clips and a mixture of photos and archive images, as well as written content that can be displayed in 19 different languages, to help bring the story to life.

Meanwhile, over in the eastern half of the National Park, you could explore the story of the Bloomsbury Group, a circle of radical artists, writers and thinkers from the 20th century who sought retreat at Charleston, the home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.

The tour begins at Charleston Farmhouse and journeys through some stunning countryside, finishing at Berwick Church. This month is the Charleston Festival from 13 to 25 May, so is a perfect time to try out the walk (entry fee applies for access to house).

Download the app for free on Android or Apple by searching for “In Their Footsteps”.