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Dorothy Nimmo

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Experiencing Wilderness

1

All the paths are waymarked with approximate
distances and estimated times; you have been issued
with route-maps and a brief guide to the geology,
history and wild-life of the area.

You should be wearing suitable footwear,
have a spare pair of socks in your backpack
and a waterproof in some bright colour in case
there is an accident. The forecast is good.

We don’t expect to meet anything very challenging.
Keep away from the rockface. Stay on the path.
If you get into trouble sound your whistle.
Try not to disturb the sheep.

Make sure you stay with the group at all times.
Don’t eat your lunch until we stop at midday.
Don’t wander into the caves. Rescue services
are available but expensive.

2

I wait on the central reservation for a break
in the traffic, dodge across, climb a wire fence
(defying notices), push through nettles
and I am on the edge of the industrial estate.

I trudge across cracked concrete and peer
into crumbling shacks. I don’t know what I expect,
there may be rats. There are certainly seagulls
yelling over heaps of abandoned plastic.

The brambles are looped with grey audiotape.
Something smoulders, stinking, in a gulley.
It is raining. I have eaten my crisps. The journey
is taking much longer than I expected.

Dusk spreads. How irresponsible
to set out alone without proper equipment
leaving no record of my destination.
I am beginning to hope I may be lost.

 

Page(s) 30-31

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