Sitting at my desk for hours, I couldn’t help but find the irony in writing about mobility. After spending years writing a book on movement and mobility, I realized that my own body couldn’t handle the stillness. So, I took to walking. During my lunch breaks, I would stroll through a small wood on the Chiltern hills, near my home in south Oxfordshire.
This woodland was divided into two distinct parts – the first two-thirds comprised of beech and bluebells, teeming with life and undergrowth. The remainder was an eerie world of younger conifers like larch and pine, shrouded in silence and adorned with lichen. Even the light was different in these two realms.
As I ventured through the woods, following a path that winded among the trunks and layers, I would eventually reach a farmer’s field with a breathtaking view of the distant horizon and the iconic Didcot power station cooling towers. From there, the path would loop back through the woodland, leading me home.
These walks served as a way to stretch my legs, rejuvenate my body, and maintain a connection with the natural world outside. Walking, for me, was not just physical exercise, but a means of working through my thoughts and feelings.
Paths hold a deep significance for us. They are ingrained in our brains and form a part of our origin myth. Yet, we rarely think about their origins or the stories embedded within them. However, when we do reflect on them, a hidden history is revealed, breathing life into the experiences of our predecessors.
Paths are shaped and maintained through use, as they are trampled upon and compacted over time. Grazing animals also contribute to their maintenance by pushing back vegetation. These paths become distinct ecosystems, with unique plant communities springing up along the trails. Humans, too, play a role by dispersing seeds through their movements.
Sometimes, paths can erode the ground and create a scar, forming what is known as a holloway or sunken way. These paths, carved by generations of people, animals, and rainwater, take on a mystical quality, transporting us into a hidden landscape. They serve as miniature nature reserves, offering shelter and shade to various plant species.
Holloways, or ancient paths, have existed for centuries, if not millennia. Some are connected to medieval castles and settlements, while others date back to the Roman era. These paths bear witness to the passing of deep time, and their significance cannot be understated.
However, protecting these paths poses a challenge. They are often long, linear features that extend across multiple landowners’ properties. Moreover, they are not seen as traditional monuments and may be overlooked by heritage managers. As a result, many holloways are at risk of being altered or destroyed.
To preserve these important features, we need to prioritize their protection and make an effort to walk them. By tracing them on maps and with our own feet, we continue the legacy of movement that countless generations before us have left behind. So, the next time you find yourself walking along a path, take a moment to appreciate the history embedded within. These paths are more than just a means of transportation – they are living testaments to our shared human experience.
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