Walking and Pausing

I, like many others since the beginning of Covid, have been going for daily walks. These walks have helped to keep me level-headed and motivated during my final months of university and, yet, I recently realised that I had never actually considered why I enjoyed these walks so much. Being fortunate enough to live in the Cornish countryside, I love being able to go and explore the very rural areas surrounding me, as it creates a sense of escapism from being trapped inside all day at a desk with only a laptop and my university work for company. As a landscape architect, it is massively important to consider the aspects of what makes a landscape enjoyable and what gives it its identity and character. Therefore, I challenged myself on my next walk to really take in my surroundings and photograph features that capture my interest, as well as elements that I felt helped emphasis the rural identity of the landscape.

Sunlight streaming through glowing leaves

Lush vegetation exploding from the hedgerows

Sculptural plants that contrast the blue skies

Muddy trails leading into the distance

Rolling hills disappearing into the open sea

Seemingly endless open spaces

Moving suddenly into enclosed paths

The beautiful patterns of overhanging branches

Sculptural trees looming overhead

Steep paths covered with twisting roots

The adjacent slopes littered with ferns

Recently felled trees piled alongside the path

Sculptural stones that encourage you to pause

Alongside trees that frame the way forward

Delicate flowers in bloom

Open fields only recently ploughed

Magnificent trees that make the road seem insignificant and small

Swales that run alongside

Urban elements encompassed by the natural

Completing this task was really enjoyable for me, I loved pausing to admire and reflect on the landscapes around me, rather than simply passing through. It was useful to really consider what creates a rural character and encouraged me to think how, in an increasingly urban world, those elements could be brought into towns and cities for people to enjoy in the same way that I do within the heart of the countryside.