In search of meaning, I walked the English south coast from Lands End to my home in Broadstairs. I went alone and stayed in youth hostels and a few grubby hotels and B&Bs. The first section of this book features the photo diary I made along the way. I didn’t train at all so after 5 or so days of the south west coastal path I was really living what Emerson once said about how, “In the morning a man walks with his whole body; in the evening, only with his legs.” My mind had never felt so free, although I couldn’t bend my knees and it hurt to lie down. Every mile I walked I sorted through a filing cabinet of worries and concerns until I was ready to meet with the beauty before me. Because I was walking with all my stuff (mainly food, water and clothes) I had to rummage through my pack every time I wanted to take a photograph. Some days nothing was significant enough to warrant stopping. And then there were moments in the pouring rain, with darkness approaching, when I just had to get my camera out. I took a few photographs to remind me of the journey, the people I met and the places I stayed.

Beautiful landscapes upset me the most. At first I reasoned that my tears were from feelings of happiness and awe. With time I knew I was sad that my nomadic lifestyle would come to an end and I began to fear for the longevity of the natural order I had discovered. I came home determined to improve my day to day life by spending more time in the kind of places I had fallen in love with. But it wasn’t so simple. With time, the walk helped me appreciate my home and protect what remains of nature in the landscapes we inhabit.