15:16 – 16:03, wind NNE 4 gusting 6, temp 10C (feels like 7)
dog puShed along in a baby buggy bush Of sparrow’s Chirp greetIngs passing at distAnce poLice car makes a sharp right turn jay-walk across the main roaD side roads Into Jesmond outside the house builderS stand chatting pass The ruined chapel Along the dene two meN talk across the road patChes of sunshine always walking into thE wind
06:50 – 07:32, wind N 4 gusting 6, temp 6C (feels like 2).
zig-zag To the nOrth west shiny hoarDings promise sumptuous bAthrooms as crYing gulls circle two magpies joStle at a roadkill housing estate haunt of winter Waxwings parked up cArs line the driveways oLd nest in a pruned shrub cracKed paving slabs
06:41 – 07:20, wind NW 1 gusting 2, temp 2C (feels like 2)
off to the norTh a freshly erected lOw fence a front Door with a brass letterbox missing cAmelia a passing Youth drifts cigarette smoke a blackbird percheS on the back of a park bench dew decked spider’s Web hangs from a pelican crossing mist haloed trAffic lights cobbLed alleyways a small supermarKet is already open
06:19 – 07:04, wind NW 1 gusting 1, temp 4C (feels like 4).
heading souTh heavy dew On the grass across or over two roaDs a pair of blAckbirds at the bottom of the hedge a flY-over from a crow and a woodpigeon tracks on graSs and gravel a Little Grebe and a sWan three skylArks fly Low, chasing beyond a stone wall a Robin flicKs
11:50 – 12:31, wind WSW 3 gusting 4, temp 15C (feels like 15).
Today we head to the eastern shore of Contención Island. A warmer day with slightly less wind. People are moving in ones and twos and taking the discrete mini detours to avoid coming within 2m.
There is a drift of traffic along the streets but as noticeable as the decrease in traffic is the increase in walkers.
As we turn a single Long-tailed Tit flicks through the shrubbery about 20 feet up.
A young woman and her spaniel chase their yellow tennis ball as it heads towards the bridge when, at the last second it is caught by the slope, turns, and runs down the steep bank and is lost into the burn.
on ContencIón it is a warmer day with Slightly less wind an increase in waLkers of the streets whilst a single Long-tAiled Tit flicks through shrubbery a young woman aNd her spaniel chase but it is caught by the slope runs Down the steep bank and is lost
12:00 – 12:50, wind SSW 3 gusting 5, temp 14C (feels like 13).
Today is the first day of containment. I walk a route off WSW, towards and onto the Town Moor then up the side of Cow Hill – I almost made it to the top – then back by a more easterly route.
It is mainly sunny, and I pass people, alone or in pairs, also out walking or running. We don’t pass close by each other on the pavements, instead stepping off into the road or veering off the path so that we leave ‘a distance’; there are several friendly nods and grins as we do this.
So, here’s the idea … In the face of the containment measures we find ourselves in we have been allowed one period of exercise a day. The containment strategy is vital for the containment of the Covid-19 Pandemic, but I wanted to respond to it artistically. I also wanted to produce something that could be used by others when they weren’t, or couldn’t get, outside. As far as I am able I am, every day, going to walk from my house, for 20 minutes in any and all directions; I will map my route and I will record my walking; when I have walked for 20 minutes I will stop, for up to 1 minute if necessary, then return to my house; 41 minutes in total.
I’m not sure what they will sound like, but I will post the recordings on SoundCloud with a link here and will also post the maps. Listen to the walk – imagine it in your head … create your own walk … make your own map … enjoy.
Stay safe and well in these strange times.
