Every map square

[noel]

I went to a talk by Alastair Humphreys last night. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair_Humphreys

We was plugging his new book about picking squares on a local map and seeing what was there - as a deliberate alternative from flying across the world to have an "adventure".

I believe there's a similar app where you can tick off map squares.

Has anyone tried to do this? I've heard of similar challenges of walking on every footpath within a 5 mile radius of your house. Sometimes arbitrary things like this can be a source of unexpected pleasure - finding things you wouldn't have otherwise.

[Mike T]

On a similar note, Alain de Botton, in his "The Art of Travel", suggests that if you are doing a routine walk - say, for example, to the shops - make it far more rewarding by looking up - you will notice lots of things of interest that you had not noticed before.

[PeteS]

During lockdown, I must have run every footpath within a 10 mile range of my house, purely as it was something to do at that time. Some I have never frequented again. Some were a revelation and now regularly trodden including woods and a field system that I had passed by for many years and never given a second glance.
Similarly, I've done a few 100+ mile cycling events and whilst training for those every lane in my local area was probably explored. Indeed there can't be many byways of North Worcestershire left untouched by now.

I've never been one for checklists though - I don't generally like their constraining nature - so the reality is that I don't actually know.

[Mossdog]

On a similar note, Alain de Botton, in his "The Art of Travel", suggests that if you are doing a routine walk - say, for example, to the shops - make it far more rewarding by looking up - you will notice lots of things of interest that you had not noticed before.

That did remind me of 'A Journey Around My Room' (originally published in French as Voyage autour de ma chambre) is a 1794 book by Xavier de Maistre. It was written to stave off boredom whilst the author was serving a 42-day sentence of confinement to his room for participating in an illegal duel. The book is written in the style of a travelogue and discusses the contents and furniture of his room as well as imaginary situations and dialogues. The theme of the work is that pleasure can be found in one's everyday surroundings. At the end of the work he notes his regret at having to return to society. The work is thought to have been first published in English in 1871. A sequel, A Nocturnal Expedition Around My Room, was published in 1825.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Journey_Around_My_Room

I've not read it - it's on my very long list of to-reads! But I appreciated the 'novel' concept.