Local

Litter was strewn over today’s grid square like wrapping paper on Christmas morning. I didn’t want to be disheartened by it on every out- ing, but nor did I want to not see these problems or accept them as nor- mal and just shrug my shoulders. I live far from the cascades of contour lines, miles of moorland or rushing rivers I relish. Could I really scratch my adventurous itch on this tame map, bereft of mountains, oceans or dragons? I doubted it this morning and wished I was exploring Siberia rather than suburbia and this odd ecotone, a transition area between the city, suburbs and countryside. 
Out of all the country’s maps, mine was down in the rubbish rel- egation zone for adventure potential. But that also made this project a more universal one than if I lived, say, on map 402 in the scenic Scottish Highlands or map 24 in the Peak District. 

What is Local ?

Do you yearn to connect with wildness and natural beauty more often?
Could your neighbourhood become a source of wonder and discovery and change the way you see the world?
Have you ever felt the call of adventure, only to realise that sometimes the most remarkable journeys unfold close to home?

After years of challenging expeditions all over the world, adventurer Alastair Humphreys spends a year exploring the small map around his own home.
Can this unassuming landscape, marked by the glow of city lights and the hum of busy roads, hold any surprises for the world traveller or satisfy his wanderlust? Could a single map provide a lifetime of exploration?
Buy the book! www.alastairhumphreys.com/local