I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy your writing, this series and A Fall in Time. I haven't had a chance to dive into your fiction yet, but soon. Since discovering them, I've been revitalized. If I don't get to spend an hour in the woods each day, I fret. And I can't believe all the things I've discovered that were there the whole time.
There are a lot of excellent writers on Substack, and I'd love to support them all, but my finances won't stretch that far. I'm delighted to support you, though, and hope lots of people take advantage of your subscription offer.
I want to take part in this. Can you explain a little more about what's involved, how you see us participating?
This is just so heart-warming. It also gives me fresh energy to keep going, keep sharing more words!
There really is a whole new (ancient) world out there, just awaiting rediscovery.
I'm also really happy you'd like to take part in the collaboration. I'm going to send out another letter with further details but, essentially, I want people to think of a local walk and reconsider it from the perspective of someone who is walking the same way, only they live out there, amongst the nature. Every plant having meaning, whether edible, medicinal, or some other use (or none), where water could be sourced, where the best site for a shelter would be. How you approach this is really up to you. Ideas could range from a simple description of your walk, to an illustrated essay, or a literal map, or perhaps audio, or video, or even fiction. I'd like people to feel comfortable sharing their walk, feel like they are introducing it to us, even as they look at it with the fresh gaze of someone deeply immersed in that world. It might be a string of questions (what is this plant? That fungi? How could I use this tree? What about this rock, can i make tools from it?) or it might be things you already have an idea of.
As I said, I'll send more soon, but hopefully that helps a little? The main thing I want is people to have fun and not feel any pressure about this, I want us all to consider how, no matter where we live, the hunter-fisher-gatherers almost certainly knew that place long before modern humans did.
Whoop whoop, mapping. I'm in! Can't wait to see how this unfolds. Of course, as someone who also maps and has a substack about maps (albeit art maps), I'd love to collaborate, so I'd like to know a little more about what you mean when you say "look through the lens of our ancestors" to help me think about what I could offer. Let me know! 😊
Wonderful! I did wonder if you'd be interested! I'll explain more about the idea ASAP but, essentially, I want people to look at a local walk and consider it from the perspective of someone who lives there a hunter-fisher-gatherer. This might mean considering where you'd find water to drink on your walk, or where you think a shelter would be well-placed. It might mean a discussion of the trees or plants there, or the animals. You could consider the idea of the past in the past, the ancestors of your ancestors, as it were, or even what a modern hunter-fisher-gatherer could achieve with what is on offer (repurposing rubbish, for example). Even in urban environments, there will be things to consider. Like I say, I'll write more soon, but what I'd really like is for everyone to do their own thing and have fun doing so, whilst also thinking about your walk in a way you perhaps have not done before.
I've always done that to some extent, but more so since you inspired me. I'm very lucky, in that water is easily found (a creek winds all through the park where I walk). The child in me has always looked for hidden places to make a "fort" (though my Brit hubby tells me that's not a European thing) and I've found a lot of them. There are lots of fallen trees that could be used to make something like your earth shelter, though it isn't allowed in the park. That doesn't prevent me from seeing the possibilities. It makes me curious, though, about your shelter. Was that in a park area or someone's private property? Here, everything falls into one category or the other. There are no spaces free to claim, and parks are heavily regulated.
As kids, we were always making dens, which is more or less a fort! Only, when we were in Orkney, we had to get rather creative, what with the islands having so little woodland.
I think that's the key thing though--seeing possibilities. It doesn't matter that you can't actually build a home there (legally), or that you can't forage in some places, for example, what matters is seeing the potential and learning how to harness that.
In the UK nearly all property is private, in Scotland, much of that is vast deer or grouse shooting estates. These are leftovers from the Highland clearances, when the rich and upper class essentially shipped the tenants away to allow sheep to graze freely. There is intense public debate about who owns what, and whether that should be allowed. At least in Scotland (unlike eg England), you can walk where you wish and (within reason) wild camp too.
Building a shelter to stay in, without permission from the landowner or park authority, is not entirely/really legal, no! I very carefully selected where I stayed, and went to lengths to stay hidden.
(Which reminds me, I once read a Tom Brown Jnr story about living wild in Central Park, New York. Can't recall if it was him who did so, or his mentor, but that stuck with me.)
That said, no one really went there, and my presence in the area almost certainly aided the local flora and fauna by keeping the deer wary.
Brilliant! Thank you! I'll send out another letter with more details and ideas about this idea but there's nothing stopping you beginning to consider it now. I'm keeping the brief, well, brief, as I'd like people to approach the topic through their own creativity as much as possible. How you would like to share your walk, what you'd like to think about etcetera is all part of the fun and variety. I think there's a lot of scope here, and I also hope it helps people look at their walks in a whole new light. :)
This is fantastic. I think when you know a place so well already, like your hill, to then see it from a different angle is to be reacquainted anew. I'm really looking forward to this.
I havé a few questions as I’ve already said, but I’ll wait until your next update to see if you answer them there before hassling you ! Have a great weekend. I’m really looking forward to putting my hill on a map...
You're never a hassle! I just wish I could reply faster!
Still, I'll be sending out another letter with more details/ideas on the subject. I'm really excited by it.
We did have a great weekend, Christmas tree is up, chaufferie and garage ready for wood delivery on Wednesday, Christmas presents moved forward etcetera. Hope Toulouse gave you some inspiration?
Toulouse was bright, noisy and busy beyond my capability of hiding my ‘too many people paranoia’ but it’s always good to see my daughter no matter that her concrete wilderness she now calls home completely bewilders me.... it always has and always will, I have to just accept the temporary discomfort. And I did. And, Christmas is just that bit closer to being organised so not all was negative.
I shall look forward to your next letter with more details on this project with pleasure... I have a thousand ideas (which is way too many) so a little order provided will be welcome!
It is disorientating at first for me, too, although I can adjust relatively quickly now. I also like to see cities as giant organisms themselves, a strange wilderness as you say. And I do enjoy spotting bushcraft potentials within an urban environment, it feels like a bonus win!
I shall try to provide a bit of order, but I'm also quite happy to have fun chaos!
Ooh, that's great! I'm going to put together another letter with further ideas and thoughts on this, as several people have asked for more information (which makes me very happy). In short, though, I really want everyone to do their own thing, present the topic in whatever manner they see fit, as long as they reference a walk (or similar, a view perhaps, if they can't actually get outside) with regard to how they believe hunter-gatherer-fisher people would approach that same space. There should be a lot of scope for interesting ideas.
Super! Actually, this would make a great example. So often, now, when people walk around the trails like this, it isn't clear why people would choose to live there, after all. We have to use our imagination and fill in the missing gaps, all those trees, now long gone, or rivers and streams teeming with fish, long before any pollution or overharvesting.
I'm drafting a further post on this idea which I'll send soon, but I'm really happy you are interested!
I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy your writing, this series and A Fall in Time. I haven't had a chance to dive into your fiction yet, but soon. Since discovering them, I've been revitalized. If I don't get to spend an hour in the woods each day, I fret. And I can't believe all the things I've discovered that were there the whole time.
There are a lot of excellent writers on Substack, and I'd love to support them all, but my finances won't stretch that far. I'm delighted to support you, though, and hope lots of people take advantage of your subscription offer.
I want to take part in this. Can you explain a little more about what's involved, how you see us participating?
This is just so heart-warming. It also gives me fresh energy to keep going, keep sharing more words!
There really is a whole new (ancient) world out there, just awaiting rediscovery.
I'm also really happy you'd like to take part in the collaboration. I'm going to send out another letter with further details but, essentially, I want people to think of a local walk and reconsider it from the perspective of someone who is walking the same way, only they live out there, amongst the nature. Every plant having meaning, whether edible, medicinal, or some other use (or none), where water could be sourced, where the best site for a shelter would be. How you approach this is really up to you. Ideas could range from a simple description of your walk, to an illustrated essay, or a literal map, or perhaps audio, or video, or even fiction. I'd like people to feel comfortable sharing their walk, feel like they are introducing it to us, even as they look at it with the fresh gaze of someone deeply immersed in that world. It might be a string of questions (what is this plant? That fungi? How could I use this tree? What about this rock, can i make tools from it?) or it might be things you already have an idea of.
As I said, I'll send more soon, but hopefully that helps a little? The main thing I want is people to have fun and not feel any pressure about this, I want us all to consider how, no matter where we live, the hunter-fisher-gatherers almost certainly knew that place long before modern humans did.
Whoop whoop, mapping. I'm in! Can't wait to see how this unfolds. Of course, as someone who also maps and has a substack about maps (albeit art maps), I'd love to collaborate, so I'd like to know a little more about what you mean when you say "look through the lens of our ancestors" to help me think about what I could offer. Let me know! 😊
Wonderful! I did wonder if you'd be interested! I'll explain more about the idea ASAP but, essentially, I want people to look at a local walk and consider it from the perspective of someone who lives there a hunter-fisher-gatherer. This might mean considering where you'd find water to drink on your walk, or where you think a shelter would be well-placed. It might mean a discussion of the trees or plants there, or the animals. You could consider the idea of the past in the past, the ancestors of your ancestors, as it were, or even what a modern hunter-fisher-gatherer could achieve with what is on offer (repurposing rubbish, for example). Even in urban environments, there will be things to consider. Like I say, I'll write more soon, but what I'd really like is for everyone to do their own thing and have fun doing so, whilst also thinking about your walk in a way you perhaps have not done before.
Many thanks for this!
I knew you’d love this Debs! I’m hoping to join with a mapping of my hill too! X
I'm excited by this! :)
I've always done that to some extent, but more so since you inspired me. I'm very lucky, in that water is easily found (a creek winds all through the park where I walk). The child in me has always looked for hidden places to make a "fort" (though my Brit hubby tells me that's not a European thing) and I've found a lot of them. There are lots of fallen trees that could be used to make something like your earth shelter, though it isn't allowed in the park. That doesn't prevent me from seeing the possibilities. It makes me curious, though, about your shelter. Was that in a park area or someone's private property? Here, everything falls into one category or the other. There are no spaces free to claim, and parks are heavily regulated.
As kids, we were always making dens, which is more or less a fort! Only, when we were in Orkney, we had to get rather creative, what with the islands having so little woodland.
I think that's the key thing though--seeing possibilities. It doesn't matter that you can't actually build a home there (legally), or that you can't forage in some places, for example, what matters is seeing the potential and learning how to harness that.
In the UK nearly all property is private, in Scotland, much of that is vast deer or grouse shooting estates. These are leftovers from the Highland clearances, when the rich and upper class essentially shipped the tenants away to allow sheep to graze freely. There is intense public debate about who owns what, and whether that should be allowed. At least in Scotland (unlike eg England), you can walk where you wish and (within reason) wild camp too.
Building a shelter to stay in, without permission from the landowner or park authority, is not entirely/really legal, no! I very carefully selected where I stayed, and went to lengths to stay hidden.
(Which reminds me, I once read a Tom Brown Jnr story about living wild in Central Park, New York. Can't recall if it was him who did so, or his mentor, but that stuck with me.)
That said, no one really went there, and my presence in the area almost certainly aided the local flora and fauna by keeping the deer wary.
This sounds a lot of fun! Would love to take part too 🙂
Brilliant! Thank you! I'll send out another letter with more details and ideas about this idea but there's nothing stopping you beginning to consider it now. I'm keeping the brief, well, brief, as I'd like people to approach the topic through their own creativity as much as possible. How you would like to share your walk, what you'd like to think about etcetera is all part of the fun and variety. I think there's a lot of scope here, and I also hope it helps people look at their walks in a whole new light. :)
You know my reply Alex! I’m already working on it...
This is fantastic. I think when you know a place so well already, like your hill, to then see it from a different angle is to be reacquainted anew. I'm really looking forward to this.
I havé a few questions as I’ve already said, but I’ll wait until your next update to see if you answer them there before hassling you ! Have a great weekend. I’m really looking forward to putting my hill on a map...
You're never a hassle! I just wish I could reply faster!
Still, I'll be sending out another letter with more details/ideas on the subject. I'm really excited by it.
We did have a great weekend, Christmas tree is up, chaufferie and garage ready for wood delivery on Wednesday, Christmas presents moved forward etcetera. Hope Toulouse gave you some inspiration?
Toulouse was bright, noisy and busy beyond my capability of hiding my ‘too many people paranoia’ but it’s always good to see my daughter no matter that her concrete wilderness she now calls home completely bewilders me.... it always has and always will, I have to just accept the temporary discomfort. And I did. And, Christmas is just that bit closer to being organised so not all was negative.
I shall look forward to your next letter with more details on this project with pleasure... I have a thousand ideas (which is way too many) so a little order provided will be welcome!
It is disorientating at first for me, too, although I can adjust relatively quickly now. I also like to see cities as giant organisms themselves, a strange wilderness as you say. And I do enjoy spotting bushcraft potentials within an urban environment, it feels like a bonus win!
I shall try to provide a bit of order, but I'm also quite happy to have fun chaos!
I'm intrigued, and interested! I absolutely need to devote more time to local exploration outside of my daily commute.
Ooh, that's great! I'm going to put together another letter with further ideas and thoughts on this, as several people have asked for more information (which makes me very happy). In short, though, I really want everyone to do their own thing, present the topic in whatever manner they see fit, as long as they reference a walk (or similar, a view perhaps, if they can't actually get outside) with regard to how they believe hunter-gatherer-fisher people would approach that same space. There should be a lot of scope for interesting ideas.
More soon (ish!).
Super! Actually, this would make a great example. So often, now, when people walk around the trails like this, it isn't clear why people would choose to live there, after all. We have to use our imagination and fill in the missing gaps, all those trees, now long gone, or rivers and streams teeming with fish, long before any pollution or overharvesting.
I'm drafting a further post on this idea which I'll send soon, but I'm really happy you are interested!