Explore Local: a microadventure concept and its implementation

This week, I have been influenced by two books. John Terpstra’s ‘Falling into Place’ and Alastair Humphreys’, ‘Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness’.&

Terpstra is published locally by Gaspereau Press, Kentville.

COGS has been around since the end of the Second World War (initially as NSLSI). My connection goes back to 1980. Over the decades we have created a very intensive learning environment in a very rural setting.

What I want to do is produce a book (hard copy and online) that provides students with the opportunity to explore the local landscape. The content of the book would come from the literature, previous faculty and students, and current residents. In Humphreys terminology, a ‘suite of micro-adventures.’ Each microadventure would include an author, a map, details of the reason for the adventure, GPS points, photographs.

Here are ten plus, microadventures (off the top of my head).

Konrad’s mountain bike ride

Heather’s hike up to the Inglisville road

Mike Goodchild’s bicycle trip from Annapolis Royal

Peter Wyman’ s story about Delaps Cove

Dave Whitman and the Roxbury cycle ride

Valley View Park and beyond

Debby’s ride to Middleton

Canoeing the Annapolis River

The Big Chill Snowshoe Marathon

Walking from Bridgetown to Middleton along the crest of North Mountain

Bob’s nostalgia for Ernest Buckler and West Dalhousie

Lunn’s Mill loop through the Lawrencetown tree nursery.

Bridgetown WALKS

How would this work ?

I would collaborate with Edward to create a general template i.e. text, map, photographs, art, GPS points.

We would work with COGS faculty and students to ensure standardization of information, quality control, online version.

We would ask COGS to consider publication costs. Every student at COGS would gain an understanding of the history of the institution, information needed to initiate their own micro-adventure, away from the computer screen.

Initially, the focus would be on Annapolis County and outdoor activities. If the model is successful, we could expand beyond the county boundaries and include other aspects of ‘local’ e.g. museums, bookstores, food suppliers, restaurants and pubs.

I am looking for reaction/comments/ other examples. In a ‘perfect world’ , we would have a ‘Geography of Annapolis County’ centred on COGS in Lawrencetown.

Acknowledgements

Edward and Heather have both shared in these ‘micro-adventures’

References

John Terpstra, 2002, Falling into Place, Gaspereau Press

Alastair Humphreys, 2023, Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness.