Looking Sideways: 10 Things
This week’s ten things selection is here.
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1. Top billing this week goes to the new edit our clever team at
have been working on.
2. I’m currently reading Underland by Robert Macfarlane, which I am enjoying, if finding a bit of a slog. Reading it reminded me of the debate about the ‘new’ nature writing, which is summed up nicely here by this piece politely questioning the trope of the ‘lone enraptured male’ (the reason I’m finding it a slog, if I’m being honest) that tends to get top billing in many of these books. Macfarlane’s response to a similar piece is also worth a read.
3. I’ve been trying to persuade Kate Rew, founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society, to come on the podcast for years now. She’s still not biting; probably too busy organising worthy activities such as this forthcoming OSS x Right to Roam webinar. Speakers include Kate, Al Humphries and Nick Hayes - find out more here.
4. “Wow, this is a heartwarming story for Beach Grit,” thought I, while reading this post about Topanga local Michael deNicola’s record-breaking wave during January’s once-in-a-hundred-year storm. Then I read the comments. Oh 😂
5. Mainstream articles about our world that get it right are worth celebrating, as in this case with friend-of-the-show Sean Ingle’s recent story about Mia Brooks. Shame about the pics tho - again!
6. In a world of piping hot AI/ChatGPT takes (ZZzzzzz), I thought this piece by Jen Sherowski on the importance of the ‘heart and soul’ metric was nicely argued
7. Haroon Mota from Muslim Hikers is a true force for good, as demonstrated by his reaction to the latest bout of racist abuse his group received.
8. There’s still just over a week left to enter Finisterre’s Women’s Filmmaker Competition. As the comp blurb says, ‘Open to all filmmakers who identify as a woman, we invite you to submit your pitch for a five-minute film that champions women in surf and commandeering space in the line up. The winner receives a £5,000 contribution towards the production of the film that will be guaranteed a place in London Surf / Film Festival’. Enter here.
9. I found this Patagonia film about women climbers from Afghanistan in Yosemite really moving.
10. I really liked this piece, which basically asks (I’m paraphrasing, obvs) “Is it still ‘vitamin sea’ when you’re paddling through shit?” Which in a world of vapid, meaningless IG sloganeering, is the type of rhetorical question I can really get behind.
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Thanks for the link to Kathleen Jamie's piece, that articulates better than I have ever been able to why I don't get on with Macfarlane's writing, despite it being constantly recommended to me.
I'd be interested to know if there are other Substack's you'd recommend? (I think I found Running High on your suggestion). I'm relatively new to the platform but really enjoying having thought full longform things to read!