How much you get from walking will depend, in the last resort, upon yourself, rather than the country. One mind will get more out of a few fields than another will from a range of mountains. It is a matter of developing a breadth of interests. …
The ideal walker would, I suppose, have geology and all other -ologies at his fingertips. He would be steeped in history and literary associations. He would be able to analyse a cathedral into its constituent parts and tag each with a date and style. He would talk knowledgeably to the locals about crops and craftsa nd industries. Such a man (supposing his head did not burst) would cover about one mile in a summer’s day. I prefer to air my ignorance on the hills and walk twenty, noticing what I can. But certainly a little knowledge of all or any of these things, far from being dangerous, adds immensely to one’s pleasure.
I always wish I could identify more trees, bushes, clouds, etc., but never have the diligence to consistently invest. So I will continue to “air my ignorance” and see if I can pick up “a little knowledge” here and there. I’m in Ithaca, New York, where there are ten thousand waterfalls. I love this town.
from Walking in England, by Geoffrey Tease, quoted in The Walker’s Companion, by Malcolm Tait, p53. (I own and loved The Moviegoer’s Companion, from the same series.)
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