Listening with Silent Walkers and Any Old Iron

Posted on 15/09/201709/09/2017 by Alastair

“Any old iron” is not a cry you hear very often now in Britain and is certainly not one associated with silent walkers. I suspect that the people making that call for old metal in our streets would love to have been offered an abandoned iron spiral staircase or grass roller. They shout it nowadays from a van but I remember when it used to be from a horse and cart (and I’m not that old!).

The silent walkers listening to the sounds around them either through a mic and headphones or with the naked ear, enjoyed what they heard on our StillWalks taster session for WWAMH at Clynfyw Care Farm. Continue reading→

Contents of a Rusty Shed

Posted on 13/09/201708/09/2017 by Alastair

Before leading my group on our silent walk for WWAMH at Clynfyw Care Farm, I found myself attracted to a large rusty shed, the contents of which ranged from more rusty currugated iron sheets to freshly picked onions.

The colours and patterns of the ageing construction materials and the contrasting fresh patterns and colours of onions “relaxing” on tables and boards propped up by garden chairs, I found particularly exciting – visually of course!Continue reading→

Park and Marshes, Past Walks 6 – Reviewing the walk

Posted on 25/06/201725/05/2017 by Alastair

Back in the park again at the end of my walk from June 2010 to our local salt marshes and at the other end of the park to the oak woods. The park has two playing fields as well as a rugby ground next to it – these plus the oak woods, a playground, Continue reading→

Beauty and the Beast

Posted on 23/06/201725/05/2017 by Alastair

It could be said that the image above, taken on my return from the salt marsh to the park on this my sixth and final walk from the past, depicts a beauty and a beast. However, while the beauty the post title refers to could be said to be the thistle or any of the natural environment of this walk, the reference to the beast Continue reading→

Up Close and Grassy

Posted on 20/06/201725/05/2017 by Alastair

One of the main features on my walks on our local salt marsh back in 2010 was the marsh grass, their profusion and tallness. As mentioned in my previous walk here from the past (Past Walks 4), the grasses were all trampled to nothing by cows in the years between then and now. Hopefully they will return permanently to their former glory. Continue reading→

Hole in the Wall – A Gift to My Eye

Posted on 10/05/201708/05/2017 by Alastair

This hole in the wall, found along my walk this week around Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve and shore, was a gift to my eye. Rust, decay, nature taking over – all things enjoyable to me to see.Continue reading→

Weird Findings on a Woodland Walk

Posted on 15/02/201707/02/2017 by Alastair

On my walk in the woods this week I took a route I have not followed for a long time. I must have known that this weird old rusty abandoned pipe and the farm equipment was there because it has clearly been there for a long time – I guess I’d just forgotten.

Continue reading→

Trains, Planes, Automobiles and Walking

Posted on 03/02/201726/01/2017 by Alastair

My walk this week started in a local park, crossed frozen marshes, went under and over two railway bridges, crossed a motorway, fields and returned to the park. I saw automobiles on the motorway but no trains and only distant planes. However, I did record the somehow relaxing sound of a light aircraft and the sound of my footsteps on rock hard frozen, frosty fields – the soundscape will be posted tomorrow in my review of the walk.