I usually like to read the books I review for this magazine outside in a corner of my shabby little garden where the rural barn WiFi won’t stretch. This week, the third heatwave so far of the year, it has been too hot to sit out. This summer is presenting us with an apt (if deeply concerning) climate in which to start reading Alastair Humphreys’ new book, Unwilded. According to the author, it is a book about why fifteen minutes outside might be the most important part of your day – but it journeys far beyond this simple but laudable intention, traversing the boundaries of how nature can serve us into the enlightened realms of how we can serve it.
Main image: The Sycamore Gap tree, before it was felled and became a symbol of our nation’s nature disconnectedness, silhouetted by the Aurora Borealis | Credit: Christopher Chambers / Shutterstock
Known for his micro adventures, Humphreys sets his sights on a wider outdoor culture in this easy-to-read call to arms in the fight for a more nature connected population which the author cites as a stepping stone to a healing world. As I read part one, which opens with the felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap, I can feel my concerns and worries for our crumbling natural world reflected back at me.
Unwilded is powerfully written. An occasionally angry Humphreys ‘shouts from his shed’ in disbelief as he chronicles stories of nature degradation throughout history – just wait until you read about the humble, doomed passenger pigeon. You can feel the frustration seeping off the page as he explains shifting baseline syndrome and Overton windows. This is an oddly comforting experience – a statistical and contextual necessity that burns slow with lots of learning.
Far-sightedness and levity comes with delightfully DIY research missions out into the author’s local neighbourhood, beyond the echo chamber of the outdoor community. Humphreys artfully avoids a holier-than-thou voice with his ability to find a bit of fun in the bleakest of cultural landscapes. His trademark sense of humour helps the pacing of Unwilded, too, and I absorbed each page quickly.
“I don’t always make time for nature but never feel too busy for food” is easily one of the most relatable statements I’ve stumbled upon in nature writing. I laughed aloud at his recollection of sleeping through one of the strongest solar storms of our generation and the subsequent showcase of the Aurora Borealis across our entire nation. It’s genuinely reassuring to know that a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year can struggle to get out there at one of Mother Nature’s many crucial moments, too.
Indeed, part two is packed with the accessible adventure inspiration that Humphreys is known for. Suggestions are eccentric and unconventional and I’ve already felt motivated to give some of his ideas a go: the pinhole beer can camera which gets one more bit of litter out of our landscape and drags you outdoors with fresh eyes; the monthly full moon wanders; the weekly tree climbs; even something as simple as blackberry picking – or foraging if you’d prefer to use the trendy term – counts.
Should you choose it, part two of Unwilded will help you carve out plenty of headspace in nature to ponder the state of the world. Sounds overwhelming? The good news is that, in part three, Humphreys sets out a practical approach to figuring out little things that you might do to help the environments you love flourish. Humphreys takes great care to point out the wider factors at play here – looking at you, late-stage capitalism – and I particularly appreciated the steer away from nature conservation misanthropy which can leave a reader feeling glum.
Instead, Humphreys gives us a worksheet and an epilogue so full of hope for the future that it actually bought a tear to my eye – although perhaps that was just sweat from my overheating brow in yet another heatwave? Either way, Unwilded has helped my brittle mind calm and inspired me in novel, unexpected ways.
When contributors to The Great Outdoors aren’t out walking, some like to relax with a good book. Read their outdoor book reviews and discover your next adventurous tale.
