Walking: A Thoreau Effort

(First, let me just say that you’d all better appreciate that pun.)

Since coming to the UK, I’ve walked at least ten thousand more steps than usual. On Wednesday, we decided to walk back to Swansea University (where we’re staying in Wales) because our professor told us it was about a mile. It ended up being 3.5 miles, which made our total for the day 11 miles. 

The great thing about it is that we were never mad that it was so far. We really embraced the adventure of it by stopping for ice cream, enjoying each other’s company, and appreciating the beautiful view of Swansea Bay. It definitely made me think of Thoreau and the way he proposes we live our lives:

“We should go forth on the shortest walk, perchance, in the spirit of undying adventure, never to return, prepared to send back our embalmed hearts only as relics to our desolate kingdoms.”  

(Though we weren’t quite that dramatic…)

  Friday was even more of an adventure because it wasn’t just city walking and sightseeing. We went to Rhosili Beach and hiked a mile and a half up to the highest point on the Gower Peninsula. It was the most breathtaking view, and it was immediately obvious why it’s constantly named the UK’s most beautiful beach. I don’t think I’ve seen anything so awe-inspiring in my entire life, and while the pictures are nice, they just don’t do it justice. 

 Like Thoreau, I believe that “an absolutely new prospect is a great happiness.” I jumped at the invitation to go on the hike – while most of the others were walking on the beach or putting their feet in the cold water, the four of us did a little bit of hard work and ended up with a beautiful view and the experience of a lifetime.  

I’m really going to try and embrace my adventurous side on this trip. To me this really comes down to accepting all opportunities to experience something new, even if it seems little. I’ll mostly be in Oxford for the next four weeks, and I know that there are plenty of things to see and do without even leaving the city. As Thoreau says, even “within a circle of ten miles’ radius, or the limits of an afternoon walk…. It will never become quite familiar to you.”