The naming of plants – I
Spontaneously, during this period of self-isolation we have been walking (and in Luiz’s case, biking) more. We are surrounded by countryside and can walk or bike for hours barely crossing paths with others, and if so, at well over the required two metres....
A man on a carpet
Rory Stewart walked long stretches of several countries, including Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. He was therefore struck by the absence of people when he did a sea-to-sea hike along Hadrian’s Wall.I love the apparently not uncommon sight of men on carpets in...
Walks as miracles
Rory Stewart put this belief to the test in some mammoth walks, one across several countries including Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan, and one weaving the length of Hadrian’s Wall. Walking does seem to have a near miraculous capacity to ease stress and...
Fat with time
If you are busy, perhaps worth scheduling in your packed agenda an hour, morning, day, month or year, in which to be ‘fat with time’, free of the need to move or do. Or you could propose a regular spot of unscheduled time to your employer, such as Fat With...
Alive and alone, alone and alive
Laurie Lee captures a moment of being fully alive and fully alone, during his long, hot walk across Spain in the 1930s at the age of 18. Alone, not lonely. As you know, you can be happy in solitude, and lonely in company. The book is a wonderful evocation of walking,...
On walking and talking
Clive James’ cadenced translation of Dante includes this lovely image of walking and talking, talking and walking, with neither slowing the other. He masterfully conveys a walking rhythm in his rendition. It also reminded me of long evening walks with friends...Yes, sign me up!
