Walking
How 2020 became the year of the walker
In this article, Alan Franks explores how the shrinking of our personal geographies imposed by travel bans and lockdown restrictions to manage the Covid-19 pandemic played out with a deeper, more textured connection built through local walking.
Is walking the most adventurous way to travel?
Leon McCarron shares experiences and lessons learned from many miles travelled on foot, including the idea that walking connects conversations as much as places.
Werner Herzog: ‘The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot’
An interview with Herzog about his friendship with travel writer, fellow walker, and subject of his latest film, Bruce Chatwin. The piece explores the idea that the focus of travel should be on the pursuit of curiosity and ideas, rather than arrival in the destination.
“Walking” by Henry David Thoreau
A classic essay by Thoreau, first published in 1862. A long and absorbing read from one of the key figures in the development of nature writing. Make yourself a coffee and settle in, and I’d be interested to hear your take on this in the comments below.
Winter
Having a miserable winter? Go for a walk
A piece by Dan Rubinstein with a Canadian perspective on walking through the winter in a landscape shaped by Covid-19, and the opportunities moving slowly through our surroundings can bring.
The positivity we feel during or after a walk, no matter the weather, isn’t happenstance. Rather, it’s the result of how our brains respond to natural environments, including tiny pockets of urban green space, and how we process information accumulated at a pedestrian four to six kilometres per hour.
Tracing tracks and trails left in the snow gives Ben Dolphin an insight into the winter habits of local wildlife on a snowshoeing trek near his home in Fife. A taste of what this incredibly snowy winter was like while we languished in lockdown.
Snowshoes in Scotland – More than just a novelty?
A guide to getting out into the Scottish hills on snowshoes by Alex Roddie, including what to look for when buying a pair.
Country Diary: Following in the Footsteps of Nan Shepherd
Winter wanders around Creag Dubh in the Cairngorms connect Merryn Glover with the rich details found in the work of Nan Shepherd.
Women Outdoors
The shocking murder of Sarah Everard, who went missing in London in early March 2001 after walking home alone from seeing a friend, raised a huge amount of discussion in online forums and prompted some thoughtful responses examining the experience of women taking part in outdoor activities, particularly when solo or in isolated locations.
Sarah Everard: Why women shouldn’t have to risk their freedom for safety
Some great analysis of advice given to women, personal safety strategies, and the conflicts and complexities that exist in the discussion and development of solutions from The Conversation.
If anything is going to change, a dramatic culture shift is needed. The widespread prevalence of violence and harassment also needs to be acknowledged – and challenged – without putting the responsibility on women.
Reclaim these Peaks – Women’s Safety Outdoors is Everyone’s Problem
Ruth Keely shares responses from conversations on social media, and examines how the perception of threat from harassment and violence results in women altering or mitigating their participation in activities.
The BAME Women Making the Outdoors More Inclusive
An article from the Guardian profiling three inspiring women, Zahrah Mahmood, Riane Fatinikun, and Omie Dale, who challenge us to recognise additional barriers to accessing to the countryside exist for women of colour, and are challenging perceptions, encouraging participation, and making the outdoors more inclusive.
Our outdoors are for everyone. Safe, enjoyable access to outdoor space should not be a privilege.
These Vagabond Shoes. 
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