Solvitur ambulando – It is solved by walking – December 2022

11/22 – original murk stepper. By Maxim Griffin.

A red hour before sun up – reports of the first frost are coming in over the wires – there’s fog coming out the hollows – can’t see the church, can’t see the geese – light rising under low easterly rain – the big coat days are here – dogs come running – scent of the foxes all mixed up with last night’s rockets.

There’s change afoot – going electric or something similar – the dogs know it – there’s a taste of it in the air – the turning year, the ferocious dive to Christmas – time moving on – the trick is to keep going – keep the spirits on the level – keep the eyes on the horizon.

A manifesto of sorts – a declaration of intent.

It doesn’t matter where you’re walking – could be anywhere – could be Reed Island up in the Humber or pacing the platform at Grantham station, could be using that secret key and crossing into the Wainfleet marshes, could be doing the Viking Way in one breath, could be orbiting a barrow at dusk – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you’re walking – could be anywhere – could be Sotby Wood with a pilgrim from Kent – could be up the Nene with your nan to picnic at Outer Trail Bank – could be along Skegness pier at the pace of a snail, could be taking Freeman Street pub by pub – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you are walking – could be anywhere – could be Sutton to Mabo on the long concrete – could be under the Wolds through the hidden place – could be across the battlefield with Cromwell on your wing – could be Tetford in the summertime with your first love – could be to the shop – could be west with the sun – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you’re walking – could be anywhere – could be down Mammoth Valley with four children and sticks – could be on the Lips of the Witham with a peregrine on your mind – could be in search of the perfect kebab – could be at midnight in Stamford with a member of Hawkwind – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you’re walking – could be anywhere – could be on Acthorpe Top with a rucksack full of skulls – could be on Chapel Point with a dry Martini – could be to the best butchers in Boston for the biggest ham in the shop – could be on the Bluestone Heath Road with a hellhound on your trail – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you are walking – could be anywhere – could be with the silver band on Red Hill – could be on the intertidal zone with the spectres – could be sipping coffee with the seals out on Donna Nook – could be on West Ashby golf course, looking for the henge – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you are walking – could be anywhere – could be Snipe Dales with an eager dog in the snow – could be on the edge of the A1, singing ‘Goldfinger’ to the moon – could be on the bridleways of Kingdom of Lindsey – could be to the last bus, three sheets to the wind – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you are walking – could be anywhere – could be to Alford to find the grave of the gnome – could be going trig point to trig point with the U3A – could be under the pylon with a failing torch – could be up the mausoleum with an MR James in your hand – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you are walking – could be anywhere – could be to deliver the Christmas card you forgot to take last year – could be over the road to check in, see how she’s doing – could be with gilded splinters – could be in the wake of the hunt in the Boxing Day cold – could be up east of the Trent, waiting for the aegir – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you are walking – could be anywhere – could be knee deep in the coldest winter for a century – could be under the invisible mountain – could be in Franklin’s icy shadow – could be to the sun – could be to the darkest hill to spy the darkest star – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you are walking – could be anywhere – could be in quest of solace – could be shaking off a ghost – could be down Gedney Drove End with the werewolves and geese – could be on an industrial estate beyond Grimsby, looking for that mythical breakfast – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.

It doesn’t matter where you are walking – could be anywhere, anytime – could be in the wake of the eastern auxiliaries, heading to the frontier – could be with the bog saints, could be with the navvies – could be with the air crew who never returned – could be along the drains with Tiddy Mun with a chest full of swamp fever – just keep walking – the world reveals itself to those who walk.

Look – the rising sun has burned the murk away – thousands of herring gulls glitter across the playing fields – the distant roar of bin lorries – the breath of wet dogs and a rucksack full of flints – collar up, lean into the breeze – onwards.

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