Boundary Walk 10

19th June 2021. Contouring the Boundary with Alison Lloyd. Starting from Binn Green car park, Holmfrith Road, Oldham.

Today was our first ‘Contouring the Boundary’ event with walking artist Alison Lloyd. It was also our first face to face, although socially distanced, event we had done since restrictions had eased. We gathered at the car park and discussed the plan for the walk, including choosing which disposable 35mm camera’s the participants wanted to use.

This walk followed the boundary north, contouring around Alderman’s Hill. It began with a short climb of a kilometre up Alderman’s Brow, with a height gain of 90 meters. Alison introduced us to ways of walking on steep uneven ground and checking our progress using an Ordnance Survey map. Whilst doing this part of the walk, Alison asked to be silent as we went up the brow. This was unnerving at first, we wanted to talk, excited to be out with a group, but want it gave us was a chance to connect us in a different way. We could hear the wind, the bird song, the cars on the road we had just left behind and the breathing of the other’s in the group. We stopped on the way up to review the map, look at the view and catch our breath. Once at the top of the brow, we studied the double wall feature that clearly marked the boundary. After this there was an opportunity to stop and work with Alison to take photographs in the ‘cosy’ space that we had identified on an earlier walk. Everyone had the chance to capture themselves in the moorland using a digital camera and cable release, with Alison discussing her practice and ways of taking photographs whilst on her, normally solitary. walks. As we continued our walk along the boundary conversations drifted in and out and covered many different aspects of our lives during the past year of lockdowns and restrictions. “Ah, thanks so much for the event! We all LOVED it! It was so calm, nourishing and tender. Lots of beautiful human exchange, learning and experiencing together. Taking time in nature. And with each other. Such a magical day! We’re also very excited to see the films! Can’t wait!” [Sarah Hardarce] . “Though I move in and out of the Peak District National Park regularly. I have never really thought about its history, how or why these boundaries came into being. It’s easy to take for granted having these fantastic places to walk on our doorstep here in Manchester. The experience made me think about my own psychological boundaries.” [Antony Hall] We’ve included a few images from the groups 35mm camera’s below. “There is a lovely quality to real film that I had forgotten about…might have to re-explore the medium now!” [Martin Brew]