“Unless we explore our neighborhood, we can’t imagine what might be right under our noses, nor be able to celebrate it, mourn its demise, or take action.” –Alastair Humphreys

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Alastair Humphreys discuss the concept of his new book Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wilderness (1:30 ); what Alastair found on his close-to-home adventures in England (7:00 ); the surprises he found in industrial and post-industrial environments (13:00 ); how he learned to pay better attention to the natural environment in the areas he explored (19:30 ); “rights of access,” and how it affects hiking in Europe; and the idea of the “big here” versus the “small here” (25:00 ); how Alastair sought to embrace “stillness” during his experiment (33:30 ); how the changing of the seasons affected his experience of the local environments (40:30 ); and the role that imagination plays in having adventures close to home (48:00 ).

Alastair Humphreys (@Al_Humphreys) is an English adventurer, author and motivational speaker. He is responsible for the rise of the idea of the microadventure – short, local, accessible adventures. His newest book, out this year, is Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness.

Notable Links:

• Microadventure (local travel initiative)


• Industrial farming (agriculture practice)


• Souvenir, by Rolf Potts (book)


• Rewilding (conservation biology)


• Korean DMZ (rewilded demilitarized zone)


• Seek (nature identification app)


• Merlin Bird ID (birdsong identification app)


• On Looking, by Alexandra Horowitz (book)


• Henry David Thoreau (naturalist and essayist)


• Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard (book)


• Mary Oliver (naturalist and poet)


• Right of way (public right to hike on private land)


• A Journey Around My Room, by Xavier de Maistre (book)


• Traveling in Place, by Bernd Stiegler (book)


• An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris, by Georges Perec (book)


• Dustsceawung (Old English term for “contemplating dust”)


• Black Death (14th century pandemic)

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.