Inspirations & Connections | VI. Wild

When I look back at the places which have meant the most to me, the landscapes whose inspiration is etched on my memory, it’s the wild places; in the wilderness, we stand face to face with ourselves.

Community, and creating a sense of community, is so important to me, and to the world. In this series, taking a particular theme, I want to share with you some of the inspirations, connections and other communities which have enriched my life, in the hope that they may do the same for you too.

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When I look back at all the places which have meant the most to me, the landscapes whose inspiration is etched on my memory, it’s the wild places. It’s the great swathes of moorland like Dartmoor, the towering hills and valleys of Cumbria, the unmistakable patchwork fields of the Yorkshire Dales, and the bleak Teesdale Hills, where winter comes early, and leaves late. It’s the places where the purple heather leads the artist’s palette, where there are more shades of earthy greens than it would ever be possible to count. These are the places which inspire me, where I feel the most deeply connected, rooted in the earth below.

Alston Moor; December 2007.

Perhaps these places inspire you too? Like me, maybe you too could lose yourself in the vastness of these landscapes, where our wanderings are unhindered by time and place. These are the wild places where the greatness of nature enfolds us, its vastness almost unnerving, yet warmly comforting and reassuring. Somehow, these landscapes have a hold on us. They draw us back, time and time again, reminding us of the need for renewal, both in body and mind.

Teesdale; October 2009.

I’ve wandered many a weary mile,
And in strange countries been,
I’ve dwelt in towns and on wild moors,
And curious sights I’ve seen;
But still my heart clings to the dale,
Where Tees rolls to the sea,
Compared with what I’ve seen I’ll say
The Teesdale Hills for me.

So wrote the poet, Richard Watson, set to music by me here:

In your own wanderings, where does your heart cling? Which are the landscapes which inspire you, which draw you back, time and time again?

Perhaps it’s something about the light? An eerie, almost effervescent light bathes the landscape. Look down, and the shadows the of the clouds pass by as if we were walking on air. Thunderous cumulonimbus clouds suddenly darken the landscape, only to hover lethargically past until the sun shines, and nature sparkles once more. But ultimately, amidst the light and the colour, I think it’s the expanse. Suddenly, we stand as a tiny part of something much greater. Just as our lives lie in front of us, so these landscapes stretch far into the distance, further than we can ever imagine. They draw us forward, even if we don’t know what we might find when we get there. But somehow, in the vastness, they hold us firm: when it feels like everything else is collapsing around us, they give a solid and undiminished foundation.

The Lake District; December 2007.

Somehow, in these vast, wild spaces, we find ourselves. In the midst of the wilderness, we stand in awe of all which lies before us. Like nature itself, in these wild landscapes, hardly touched by human hand, we stand face to face with ourselves, our past, our present, and our future.

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