Our #FindYourWay campaign is about encouraging people to enjoy the journey by engaging their own wits. Of course in riding and walking it’s useful to know what lies ahead, to learn from others about the best ways and to use your senses to guide and adapt. Of course SplashMaps and our partners (like Ordnance Survey, Harvey Maps and AtoZ) are an important part of planning and the tactical job of understanding options on the ground. But what about the rest?
Long distance conversation
This month I heard about a great project that could actually (if done a few months earlier) have negated the need for an EU referendum! As I look back at the past year and as politicians seek ever more compelling and patriotic sound-bites for the future there are crass assumptions that most voted “no” because of immigration. I don’t know if you remember, but when I filled in the ballot, weren’t there only 2 boxes you could tick? Yes or No? But no one could possibly know “why” any of us voted as we did. No one ever asked. Yet it appears a given that it was about immigration.
So before the poisonous assumptions lead to knee-jerk reactions in parliaments across Europe, one couple decided to have a long distance conversation to learn the attitudes toward immigration while raising awareness of the plight of refugees. Follow them on their 1000 km listening pilgrimage from Dover to Iona, donate to the venture, or even meet them a long the way!
What do they follow?
Christy has made a great post on navigation preferences here. It’s a bit strong on the paper front for my liking (we all know the benefits of fabric right?), but there are some great points on the benefits of solid state mapping in a world where machines cannot be trusted! As of next week they will be following the UK Cycle Maps from SplashMaps! 2 of these will meet them in London before they continue the journey North. Christy & Isabel, these aren’t just any maps! You can shed some kgs of paper notes and maps, lose the hats and scarves and throw away at least part of the first aid kit. The SplashMaps are on the way!
