Local

A sweaty man ran towards me, suffering the exertions of his morn- ing run. This was the first grid square I’d been to that was predomi- nantly residential. I stepped aside on the church path to let him pass, but he just touched the trunk of the yew tree in front of me and ran back the way he’d come. The tree must have been his regular turna- round spot. I wondered if he gave it any thought, or if he was focusing more on his split times and Strava ranking. 
If I was the sort of man who had a Top Ten ranking of trees in my head (and I am that sort), then I’d rank the yew far down the list. They look gloomy, suck away sunshine, and are hard to climb. 

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