Walking in lockdown

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Inspiration

In this time of lockdown many of us will be doing a lot of our walking vicariously through books, films, podcasts etc. so we thought we'd offer some suggestions for ambulatory entertainment to help scratch the walking itch.

First up is the new film by "wandering artist" Andrew Kötting, The Whalebone Box, released today on MUBI.

Synopsis: Some time ago, a whalebone box that was found washed up on a remote beach was given to writer Iain Sinclair. Once touched the box can change lives. In 2018 filmmaker Andrew Kötting, photographer Anonymous Bosch and Sinclair take the box on a reverse pilgrimage from London back to the Isle of Harris.

I haven't watched it yet but it's Andrew Kötting so you can't really go wrong. Watch it here and check out the other Kötting titles available while you're at it.

A fellow Walkspacer tipped me off about this episode of the Weird Studies podcast Green Mountains Are Always Walking. Hosts JF and Phil exchange ideas about the weirdness of walking in a conversation that meanders between zen monks, novelists, Jesuits and more. Again I must confess I haven't got round to listening myself yet but that's what weekends are for.

As for actual physical walking you can do yourself (currently limited to 1 hour a day) we direct you to the words of Phil Smith over at Triarchy Press for some inspiration. Phil's piece Walking in a Time of Virus suggests some ways we might make the most of our daily state-sanctioned strolls.

"Part of what needs to be broken here is the idea that natural beauty or history is exclusively (or even more intensely) present in special sites, usually with big car parks and information boards. Every street you walk down is a treasure of geology and materials, each window is a museum of symbols, every tree is a drama of buds, enkissings, wounds and blossoming. For once, many of us have the time to teach ourselves about these things."

That'll do for now. If you have any recommendations of your own get in touch!

Stay safe.