Rating: 5 out of 5

I loved this book. I hoped I would. I’d put off reading it for a month or so in case it didn’t live up to my expectations. Fortunately it did.

If I’d realized how it was written - week by week - I might have read it more slowly, following its natural rhythm through the year. Instead, I read it as I normally would, though I found that taking in a full chapter at a time worked best.

I really enjoyed the mix of personal reflections, historical context, and factual details. I liked reading about the squares that surprised, that delighted. I nodded along in agreement about the squares where little was accessible - always a disappointment.

A great read and a good reminder to appreciate what is on your doorstep.


Some bits I highlighted:

“Unfolding a map is the ritual that launches all good journeys.”

“As I tried this year to survey my map more thoroughly than just following the official paths, I was surprised by how much the issue of access impacted on the experience. How could I learn to love this landscape if I wasn’t allowed within it? How would I be motivated to care for the natural world if I did not feel part of it? I had always assumed roaming across the countryside was an inherently normal thing, like breathing, until I began to get to know this map.”

“The more I pay attention, the more I notice. The more I notice, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I enjoy. The more I enjoy, the more I pay attention.”

“My mind boggles at the executives claiming enormous bonuses while consistently missing their pollution targets, and at the intelligent, educated individuals in Whitehall offices who’ve decided this is a legacy they are content to live with.“

“Unless we have a word for something, we cannot conceive of it. Unless we explore our neighbourhood, we can’t imagine what might be right under our noses, nor be able to celebrate it, mourn its demise, or take action.”

——

There’s a great interview with Alastair for The Outdoors Fix podcast - https://theoutdoorsfix.com/alastair-humphreys-the-outdoors-fix-podcast/

Originally posted to my Goodreads account