Walking To Scotland
In 2014, I spent some time trekking in Croatia and then went to England to hike the Pennine Way. I’ve decided to write up a chronicle of that trek based on my notes and will publish it on substack. Will likely upload a chapter/day once or twice per week. Follow along if you like: https://thughcrawford.substack.com/ T. […]
An Australian Interlude (non-trekking)
An Australian Interlude This spring brought no trekking (a disappointment), just some time teaching Moby-Dick in Australia. Here are some disjointed observations about that time. My Trip to the Zoo My pilgrimage to the Australian Zoo, shrine of Saint Steve Irwin, actually began the night before. In the Brisbane hotel riding the elevator up with […]
On Boredom
On Boredom A scene from Gus Van Sant’s film Gerry is a three and a half minute tracking shot of the profiles of the two main characters, both named Gerry, in tight focus as they trudge across a vast and empty desert. While the audience might marvel at the technical virtuosity, they also feel and […]
On Adventure
On Adventure On a rest day in Ullapool, when hiking the Scottish National Trail, I found myself talking with a man clearly familiar with outdoor life in the Highlands. He had been in the same hostel bunk room as me the night before but had gotten up very early, I presumed because he was off […]
The Ridgeway, July 17 Day 5, 16 miles
The Ridgeway, July 17 Day 5, 16 miles Last days on a path tend to be less about accomplishment and more about just getting there. This one was no exception. Apart the last couple of miles, it was just like the day before, a beautiful wander through a shady forest with occasional field crossings. The […]
The Ridgeway, July 16 Day 4, 21 miles
The Ridgeway, July 16 Day 4, 21 miles The early morning walk out of Wallingford was one of the best I’ve ever taken. No longer on the ridge, the path simply winds its way between wheat fields and pastures, but it is shaded by huge old beech trees. In places it drops down into old […]
The Ridgeway, July 15 Day 3, 18 miles
The Ridgeway, July 15 Day 3, 18 miles Early mornings of wild camping are always a mix of exultation— hearing all the fauna around the tent while slowly waking with the sun (and birds) is magical—and anxiety as the sun reveals presence to landowners. I was up and out long before a gamekeeper could accost […]
The Ridgeway, July 14 Day 2, 22 miles
The Ridgeway, July 14 Day 2, 22 miles An early breakfast at the Bear (eggs, bacon, tomatoes, and blood pudding) and a bus back to where I had left off the trail, I slipped into a hiking rhythm immediately. There are the regular encounters with Iron and Bronze Age barrows— some just rounded hills, others […]
The Ridgeway, July 13 Day 1, 10 miles
The Ridgeway, July 13 Day 1, 10 miles The Ridgeway, an 86 mile National Trail, wanders (as the name makes clear) along a ridge running between West Overton and Ivinghoe Beacon and is often called the “oldest trail” in England. Obviously any such designation is dubious at best, but it does focus any walker’s attention […]
Walking to Cape Wrath, Day 35, June 14, 2022
Walking to Cape Wrath, Day 35, June 14, 2022 The ends of long trails usually have a certain drama, none perhaps more than the obligatory Katahdin sign pose at the end of the Appalachian Trail. The Te Araroa begins with a lighthouse at Cape Reinga but ends at a less impressive signpost at Bluff. The […]