Walking can be one of the easiest and most accessible sources of joy. In a world where our attention is snatched from all directions it is easy to lose sight of this simple timeless pleasure. It is my firm belief that this is a pastime that is hugely beneficial and engaging to those who partake.
Walking is by its very nature a slow method of transport. As such, the focus is shifted onto the journey rather than the destination. While travelling by bike, bus, or car the landscape becomes an unfocused blur, but when walking you are forced to intimately engage with the world around you. With the surface of the path, the vegetation, the elevation, the weather, the wildlife and the seasons. You notice the flow of the landscape as you move through it and time seems to slow down as you journey across ancient hills and vales.
The focus on what’s immediately in front of you can help to put some of the many concerns that students face into perspective. The usual weekly swirl of deadlines, assignments, worries and stresses fades into the back of the mind and is replaced by the primal concerns of warmth, food and shelter. The combination of green space and the feeling of the body in motion produces a calm, contented feeling. Anyone that has had the pleasure of walking a dog knows these benefits are not exclusive to humans. Like our canine friends, the enjoyment of walking comes from a similar combination of factors: exercise, company, and sensory stimulus. While for a German Shepherd this may be the smell of a badger (or the urine of another dog on a lamppost!), for us this is the sights, the sounds and feel of the sun on our skin and the wind on our faces. It is the smell of grass in summer, the wet leaves in autumn, the crack of ice under our boots in winter, and the sight of flowering bluebells in spring.
Walking provides a sense of achievement too. Anyone who has struggled through muddy fields to reach a nice warm pub knows how satisfying this can be. The sleep after a day out walking is always deep, restful and blissful. Sometimes accepting the discomfort of an environment can allow for a greater appreciation of the little things. In fact, there are many who have struggled to the end of the walk with sore feet and damp clothes only to enthusiastically sign up for another walk a few weeks later!
This is not to say that walking is always a painful slog. Instead walking can be hugely joyful, particularly the sense of adventure and discovery. The highlights of walks are often the moments that are least expected. Whether this is a deer running through a field, a kestrel hovering above the path, finding a long abandoned well sunken into the ground, or a bright unusual fungus poking out of a log. With walking comes unpredictability, and with unpredictability comes joy.
It is my belief that one does not need to travel to spectacular mountains or gorges to evoke this feeling. Yes, the countryside around Oxford is largely flat and the English mountains are likely to be a disappointment for those used to the Alps, the Rockies, the Carpathians, the Himalayas, the Andes, or the Pyrenees, but it is rich in history and nature, with paths loved by generations of Oxford residents before us. Walk along the Ridgeway to the south of Oxford, and you’ll be following in the footsteps of many from thousands of years ago. The footpaths of Britain have arisen largely organically from the historical tracks of workers, pilgrims, scholars, farmers and travellers. Walking their path, it is impossible not to feel a sense of history.
Escaping from the usual routines of the same places in the ‘Oxford bubble’ helps to calm the mind and provide perspective. In an informal survey I conducted for this article, 2/3rds of respondents said that they walked for the benefit of mental health. The psychological benefits of walking in green space are well documented. Walking provides an escape from the silicon shackles of the digital world and allows one to detox from the detrimental doom scrolling that consumes many of the precious hours in our day. Many people I have met have walked to Port Meadow, University Parks or the river to reflect on a trouble or problem, and have felt a bit brighter by the end of the walk.
The beauty of walking is also the camaraderie and companionship. Walking is largely an uncompetitive sport, so it allows a bond to develop between those who see the same things and experience the same journey on the walk. The binding experience of travelling up a mountain has forged many friendships. The experiences of trekking together for 8 or 10 hours a day tend to demolish any pretences or facades and let the individual self shine through. Walking is one of the most egalitarian of sports, it does not require expensive equipment to walk locally and most often doesn’t require any previous experience or training.
The Oxford University Walking Club runs a wide range of walks from short walks around Oxford exploring the green spaces and historic sites in our backyard to more adventurous walks to the Oxfordshire countryside, the mountains of Scotland and Wales and beyond.
So, for those sceptical of mud, terrified of rain and for whom the thought of scaling a hill fills you with dread I would urge you to reconsider. Walking can be a source of great joy, comfort, satisfaction and excitement. Whether it is a 10 minutes’ walk in the park or a six-month walk along the Pacific Coast Trail, consider taking some time to walk.
Information on how to join the Oxford University Walking Club can be found on our website: http://ouwc.org/