Walking to form a community

Getting to know a place.

Today I walked in an area that I am still getting to know. I understand that the act of walking physically links me to the land and as I walk I become far more aware of the place than I ever could if I was to just drive through it in a car.

Beautiful clear autumn day on the Kent Downs.

The paths we followed ran across open fields where skylarks flew up when disturbed and the haunting call of the buzzards circling much higher overhead reached down to us. The views were glorious; I could see 360 degrees around and on a clear day such as today I could pick out landmarks all along the North East Kent coast from Whitstable to Pegwell Bay.

Curvy downs and huge skies.

Standing on the ridge looking North we could see the various wind-farms and watched their huge blades moving around in the distance, we could clearly locate the city of Canterbury and along to the east we pinpointed the solitary block of flats in Margate and a more traditional smock windmill near Sandwich.

Distant views and wind-farms.

For me this orientation on walks is imperative. I like to know where I am and for this reason I enjoy poring over a OS map either before or after a walk to put it into context. I like to trace where I have been or plan to go, look at the surrounding landscape, visualise the contour heights and pathways, landmarks and roads to get an idea of what feel a walk will have.

Going up the hill to gain a better view.

Once on the top orientation is easier.

OSmaps are beautiful products. The model has been copied all over the world and there are many OS fans that have set up websites, written books or regularly post about their use. Even the 'trig points' (that the Royal Engineers constructed to take their measurements from to survey the landscape) have a loyal fan base. Their history has been lovingly recorded and even though they are now decommissioned they stand as markers in their own right in the landscape around the British Isles.

Plough marks.

Walking to form a community.

It was with great interest that we saw another two figures walking in the distance. One had the slow gait of a leisurely dog walker, the other had a backpack on and was walking slightly bent forward and moving at quite a pace towards the other. After a few seconds of wondering who they were and where they were going we were once again attracted by the ghostly cry of the buzzards and looked up to try and spot them. When we remembered the other people in the landscape we looked again but could not see them.

The path ahead and less sky.

As a woman walking alone I would have been slightly anxious to know where they had gone, would they be nearer me now, would I be safe? But walking with others, even with one other woman allays that fear. It may be just a personal view but I like to walk in company as I feel safer and can therefore enjoy the experience without any anxiety. It is also more enjoyable to share the experience of observing, discovering and being outside together.

The expansiveness of land and sky.

I would like to create a walking community that encourages others to experience this basic enjoyment, to find joy in the simple pleasure of being outside throughout the seasons, recognising the changes in nature, ourselves and each other.