The aim of this blog entry is to encourage you to explore your local area.
I recently moved back to the town in which I grew up. In many ways that could be viewed as a step back, a regression but I’m trying not to see it that way. Instead, I am embracing it.
I’ve embarked on an effort to combine my exercise and constant need to stretch my legs, with seeing some places close to home that I’m not familiar with.
Over the past few weeks my exercise habits, tendency to get lost and the occasional evening stroll have taken me into some interesting areas within striking distance of the house I grew up in but which I had no idea how to get to or even that they existed. Here are some of things I’ve recently discovered, all within a two mile radius:
- A stretch of open water perfect for swimming in
- A series of interconnected woodlands and heathlands which you can get lost in for hours
- A Royal Park
- A great stretch of riverside towpath for running along
- A cemetery
- A housing estate (if that doesn’t sound very exciting then consider that it’s a mere 3 blocks away from the house I’ve lived in for 20 years and yet I’d never previously laid eyes on it)
But it’s not the specifics of what you find that matter. It’s the exploration, the discovery. It can open your mind a little wider, show you something new and give you that tiny buzz of adventure even though a cup of tea and comfy sofa are only minutes away.
And so I urge you to cross over the street and walk on the other side. Take a left turn on your bike ride home and see where you end up. Drive your car to a part of town you’ve never thought to visit. Take a walk with no destination in mind, fight the urge to follow the known route and have a look at somewhere new.
Go out, explore and let me know what you find.
