If the fit and active amongst us hadn’t already realised, we are all rediscovering the joys of walking. Whether your lockdown is partial or complete, the appeal of our open spaces has never been so great. Luckily, if you live in a place where the world outside your front doorsteps hasn’t been designated out-of-bounds, you can still enjoy the freedom of the outdoors, however confined your social space. Never before have there been so many walkers and so few cars. But paradoxically, whilst we are seeking popular recreational spots - often all at the same time - we are invading each other’s personal spaces, precisely what we should be avoiding. It’s fine if you live in the country, but if not, the higher the population density, the greater the pressure on the parks, beaches and woodlands near our urban dwellings. No wonder the powers that be are stepping in and closing off routes and car parks that provide access to these local beauty spots. Like it or not, if we want to preserve our environment and at the same time stay safe, we are going to have to be more resourceful about how we recreate and instead make do with the commonplaceness of our own neighbourhoods.
Our world might be getting smaller, but
even if the bounds of our geographical realm are limited to a radius of one-kilometre
(as in France), that’s 3.14 square kilometres to discover, rising to a whopping
78.5 square kilometres for a zone with a five-kilometre radius (Belgium). A
more sensible yardstick might be what’s within walking distance of our homes, which is probably somewhere in
between the two measures I’ve specified above. That’s still a lot of ground to
cover!
But space is only one factor in the
distancing equation. Now that our lives are no longer dictated totally by our
working hours, we don’t all have to go at the same time. You can enjoy a walk
any time of the day: early morning, late evening or even in the middle of the
night! As the days in the northern hemisphere get longer, so does the scope for
daylight walking. We no longer have to be creatures of habit!
But there is another overriding reason why
we should be out walking:
It is
undeniably good. It is good for our muscles and posture; it helps to protect
and repair organs, and can slow or turn back the ageing of our brains. With our
minds in motion we think more creatively, our mood improves and stress levels
fall.
These are not my words (though I wish they
were), but those of Shane O’Mara, a neuroscientist working at Trinity College
Dublin in Ireland who has written about the physical, but above all, the
mental benefits of walking. He practices what he preaches and is a passionate walker,
but even more so, a passionate urban walker:
Walking
is the way to get to know a new city: rambling out, about, on foot, taking in
the sights and sounds and smells and sense of the new city. Enjoying getting
footsore while noticing the little things making a city different, interesting,
and great. Cities possess a vitality, attractions, upsides, and downsides.
In other words, for us townies, there is a
world out there waiting to be discovered on our own doorsteps – in terms of
fauna and flora, culture, history, architecture and – crucially – sensorially. View
your surroundings in a different way, observe the subtle changes in nature over
the seasons and the different angles and intensities of light throughout the
day. Record it photographically if you wish. Sometimes it can feel like
stepping out onto a different planet if we compare a walk we make in summer to
the same one we made last winter. In spring, even over the course of week, much
can change.
Wherever you live, there is plenty to hold
our interest within walking distance of our homes. If you’re interested in
wildlife, but never had the time, look for the tell-tale signs of spring in
birdlife around you: April and May are the months when migrating birds arrive
back in our midst to breed. Listen out for the warbled flute of the blackbird
as it sings from its elevated perch, and the sounds of swifts as they screech around
the rooftops late in the evening. Try to identify wild flowers (aka weeds) growing
between the paving stones. Since your local council has probably decided unsightly
wayside plants are no longer a priority, they are now growing in profusion.
Less traffic also means less air pollution, so at night lift your eyes and
binoculars up to the stars and discover the planets and constellations.
The built environment is often no less
inspiring than the natural one. Find an old map (there are plenty online),
check out how much your neighbourhood has changed over the years, walk the
streets and discover the secrets of their past. It doesn’t have to have been grand
architectural schemes or remarkable feats of civil engineering that have transformed
your neighbourhood, just subtle, almost imperceptible developments. If we only
realised, history is slowly evolving before our very eyes. It’s more than
likely that someone famous lived in your area, there may be a special
architectural attraction, a commemorative plaque, a deserted railway line, an
industrial shell or a canal towpath. There may even be some graffiti that’s
worth admiring!
What about kids? Why not create a treasure
hunt for them to do in your neighbourhood, using architectural features and
street furniture as your guide. That way your kids can uncover the idiosyncracies
of your neighbourhood on foot too.
My own personal realm spans the entire
urban field from bustling town centre to serene woodland on the urban fringe.
It’s a treasure-trove waiting to reveal itself, with a history that dates back
to Roman times, but which also has a landscape more latterly scarred by coalmining.
The industrial age brought to the region much expertise, innovation and
prosperity and this is reflected in its diverse and modern architecture. The area
was also traumatised by war, as the seventy or so Stolpersteine dotted around
town bear witness: these are small brass plates embedded in the pavement and
inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi persecution. More
recently, my adopted home town has seen a burgeoning of street art, with gable ends
and building facades all over town being adorned with massive murals.
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| A Stolperstein in Turin |
If you choose to go outdoors, do so sensibly and in compliance with the guidelines that apply in your own country. Choose a route that minimises your social contact. Be more flexible with the times you go out, it doesn’t have to be in the afternoon or at weekends. But most of all, discover and enjoy the delights of walking!
