Strange Strolls

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Series

The Essay

Duration

15 minutes

Genre

Arts
Culture and the Media
Factual

Station

Radio 3

Duration

15 Minutes

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	Jenn Ashworth - The Abiding Mental Riches Of Preston	20200210	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. Lancastrian writer Jenn Ashworth begins these imaginative journeys with a trip to Preston's Harris Museum, Gallery and Library, retracing her teenage footsteps and pondering the mental riches promised within. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham Lancastrian writer Jenn Ashworth ponders the promises of Preston's Harris Library. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
02	Michael Donkor - On Wandsworth Bridge	20200211	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. Writer Michael Donkor continues these imaginative journeys by traversing, south to north, across Wandsworth Bridge - perhaps the Thames' most neglected crossing, but for him a conduit between adult responsibility and childhood memory. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham Writer Michael Donkor crosses Wandsworth Bridge, from childhood memory to adulthood Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
03	Stephanie Victoire - Dark Hollow Falls	20200212	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. In this episode, writer and Shamanic Energy Healer Stephanie Victoire has a haunting hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia, meditating on the ancient paths of Native American precursors. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham Writer Stephanie Victoire has a haunting hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
04	Nat Segnit - The Other Ibiza	20200213	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. In this episode, journalist, writer and keen walker Nat Segnit seeks recovery and retreat in the unseen mountains of Ibiza, a mysticism-inspired path once trodden by Walter Benjamin. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham Writer and walker Nat Segnit seeks recovery and retreat in the unseen mountains of Ibiza. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
05	Sophie Coulombeau - Walking Matilda	20200214	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. Author and academic Sophie Coulombeau completes these imaginative journeys with her newborn baby navigating York - a city and self once familiar, but now elusive and uncanny. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham In York, author and academic Sophie Coulombeau finds a city and self changed by motherhood Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	Jenn Ashworth - The Abiding Mental Riches Of Preston	20200210	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. Lancastrian writer Jenn Ashworth begins these imaginative journeys with a trip to Preston's Harris Museum, Gallery and Library, retracing her teenage footsteps and pondering the mental riches promised within. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham Lancastrian writer Jenn Ashworth ponders the promises of Preston's Harris Library. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
02	Michael Donkor - On Wandsworth Bridge	20200211	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. Writer Michael Donkor continues these imaginative journeys by traversing, south to north, across Wandsworth Bridge - perhaps the Thames' most neglected crossing, but for him a conduit between adult responsibility and childhood memory. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham Writer Michael Donkor crosses Wandsworth Bridge, from childhood memory to adulthood Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
03	Stephanie Victoire - Dark Hollow Falls	20200212	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. In this episode, writer and Shamanic Energy Healer Stephanie Victoire has a haunting hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia, meditating on the ancient paths of Native American precursors. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham Writer Stephanie Victoire has a haunting hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
04	Nat Segnit - The Other Ibiza	20200213	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. In this episode, journalist, writer and keen walker Nat Segnit seeks recovery and retreat in the unseen mountains of Ibiza, a mysticism-inspired path once trodden by Walter Benjamin. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham Writer and walker Nat Segnit seeks recovery and retreat in the unseen mountains of Ibiza. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
05	Sophie Coulombeau - Walking Matilda	20200214	As an injured soldier under house arrest, Xavier de Maistre staved off boredom by imagining every step around his drawing room was a step across a country; Virginia Woolf's writerly wandering around central London to buy a pencil exposed the city's transformation in darkness. Inspired by these ironic quests and symbolic expeditions, five contemporary writers embark on walks of entertaining eccentricity. Author and academic Sophie Coulombeau completes these imaginative journeys with her newborn baby navigating York - a city and self once familiar, but now elusive and uncanny. Producer: Ciaran Bermingham In York, author and academic Sophie Coulombeau finds a city and self changed by motherhood Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.