Today I was walking around the Stockbridge area of Edinburgh looking for routes to use in a forthcoming series of walks I'm going to run for the Outlook Project (City of Edinburgh's adult education project for people with mental health problems).
The walks will be a series of nature walks intended to inspire people to write about nature. All will set out from Stockbridge Library which limits possibilities! However I have got four routes in mind and today was really to get an idea for timings.
The library is located very close to the Water of Leith
so that makes for two very easy walks - one upriver and one down river. The library is also closer than I expected to Inverleith Park and the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens so that's two more walks.
How far we walk depends on the weather and everyone's inclinations, but there will probably also be the opportunity to just sit and observe before writing, as I did for a while in Invereith Park
There will certainly be plenty to see to inspire writing including birds like this nesting mute swan
and details such as these lichens
The Outlook Project courses are only open to people who are signed up to Outlook (I think you need to be referred) and currently there isn't a webpage devoted to the project.
Edinburgh is a neat city to walk!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds an excellent project and your proposed walks look very good.
ReplyDeleteHoping all goes well for you and all who take part.
I enjoyed seeing your photographs, and the weather looked excellent.
All the best Jan
Nice pictures!
ReplyDeleteWould you blog later about the general mental health issues the participants experience and what it is about your nature activities that is of use/value/help?
ReplyDeleteI am having discussion here with a few folks about the values of being out experiencing nature and hearing what others do and what benefits/outcomes they witness is helpful.
Great that you volunteer for this worthy activity. Nature walks help my mental outlook more than anything,
ReplyDelete