Field Notes

Short notes on walking, maps and slow travel.

Reading old topographic maps

Contour lines are the quiet language of a landscape. Once you learn to read their spacing, a flat sheet of paper turns into ridges, saddles and the soft bowl of a valley you have never visited.

A rainy week on the coast

Rain changes a route more than any map can predict. Paths become streams, and the best plan is often the shortest loop back to a warm kitchen and a pot of tea.

Packing light, again

Every season I promise to carry less. A list on paper helps: water, layers, a small first-aid kit, a paper map and a pencil that never runs out of battery.