A NEW Year’s resolution to walk a Roman road has turned into a much-researched and loved book for one Abbots Ann resident.

In 2013, Annabel Stow made a plan to ramble along a historic path in a bid to help her poor health and discover how much an historic road could be followed.

The amateur archaeologist laid out her Ordnance Survey maps and picked out the Icknield Way which runs from Winchester to Mildenhall, in Wiltshire.

She turned to the Historic Environment Record and Alan Whitney to discover the ancient sites and monuments along the way.

“I was looking at the Roman and prehistoric sites but much of the sites obviously are ploughed over or developed but I knew that they were there.”

The 66-year-old did not start the walk until 2014 and decided to take on the 31-mile trek in sections.

“I knew I wasn’t going to do it as one long walk and I wasn’t going to do it chronological order as well.”

But Annabel said she discovered some amazing sites and felt like she was following in the footsteps of the Romans and prehistoric people who used the route.

After exploring certain parts of the walk, Annabel discussed with her partner Neville Hall who said that she should put her knowledge to good use to help visitors and locals alike in book form.

“It has got information about Roman roads and this Roman road and it is divided into 10 walks and people can therefore do it as one long walk or in pieces.”

The endeavour took four-and-a-half years from the resolution to publication, but Annabel has said that the book is now “selling like hotcakes”.

The book is available in Abbots Ann Post Office, Waterstones and in the Iron Age Museum in Andover.