"The BA Honours degree in Geography which I studied for three years in what was then Cambridgeshire College of Arts & Technology (CCAT), a forerunner to Anglia Ruskin University, laid the foundation for almost everything I've done since. The journalism, radio work and ten books I've written have all been underpinned by geography, as have the BBC TV series I've presented in recent years.

"CCAT's outstanding lecturers, the exciting honours course and the sheer fun I had just off Mill Road, were the perfect springboard to adventure! At the end of my first year at Cambridge, I cycled with my closest friend Doug Whyte, who was on the BSc Geology course, to Greece, and at the end of our second year, we pedalled to Africa.

"At Cambridge, I learned that knowledge is a greater asset than money."

"I'd been writing about Britain for about ten years, first there was Map Man and then Coast. I began wondering, who discovered Britain, who actually opened it up?"

"I feel strongly that there is a generation of people that has turned its back on Britain.

Nick, who stopped recreational flying ten years ago, is keen to promote low-carbon alternatives:

"There's no corner of Europe that isn't accessible by train. Everyone in Britain lives, at most, 70 miles from the coast. All of this is close to everybody, and I can't believe that there are so many beaches deserted in August when Heathrow is clogged with people going abroad on budget charter flights. There's a general lack of appreciation of Britain and what we have."

"I grew up in East Anglia and Cambridge was the dream place to study.

Of the region, Nick says that geographically,

"East Anglia is very interesting because it is low-lying and will see the first impact of sea-level rise. This is going to alter the coastline faster than any other comparable coastline in the UK - an appalling threat that is already showing signs. Scientists have outlined that these events are not within the natural cycle of the earth, and humanity will have to employ a collective will in a way it's never had to before to combat these effects."

"I loathe seeing myself on television but love working on the process of making films for TV! Its very demanding but I enjoy the challenge. To know that 3 million people are watching makes it all worthwhile."