Wednesday, 7 May 2014

Walking for Inspiration

Did you know that May is National Walking Month in the UK? I certainly didn’t!

It was interesting to read a BBC article about famous authors who have drawn inspiration from ‘aimless’ walking: the poet Wordsworth rambled through the majestic Lake District countryside; Charles Dickens walked up to 20 miles through the streets of London at night when he couldn’t sleep; and the travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermour walked from the Hook of Holland to Istanbul in 1933 when he was 18 years old. A journey of over 1500 miles!  Can you find Patrick Leigh Fermor’s journey on a map of Europe?
And what do you think about the environmentalist and writer John Francis who travelled everywhere by foot for 22 years and pledged not to speak for 17 years!

You can read about more famous walkers in the BBC article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27186709

The article made me think about how lucky we are to live and study in such beautiful countryside. This academic year the school is focusing on improving writing, and I have seen some great examples of creative writing from the pupils. Our beautiful surroundings can certainly provide inspiration for children and adults alike. The water meadows next to school are home to swans, heron and coots; and the nearby woods are blooming with bluebells and wild garlic at the moment.
Why don’t you take an ‘aimless’ walk in May? Let me know if you find inspiration in our beautiful Great Gaddesden countryside.

Post by Alison Wilkinson

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