Walking It Off

This week has somehow been the longest I’ve experienced in a while, whilst also being over in the blink of an eye. The old mental health has been run ragged. I have lost track of time, place, and occasionally myself. I have been running almost entirely on autopilot.

A walk with the camera, as I am sure I have written in almost every post before this, is the very best medication for a frazzled mind. Within moments, everything fades away. Being present is enough.
I am enough.

The first walk of the week, on Monday 12th, was a quick dash towards Victoria Dock during a sunset that did not promise much, but delivered a small, concentrated dose of fire.

On Thursday evening, I finally, after almost three years in London, managed to get myself properly lost around the iconic Barbican Estate. An hour on my feet and I had only explored a small chunk of the brutalist complex, so I will definitely be returning in daylight with the camera.

I was not in the mood to go for a walk. After a missed dose of medication, though, I was adamant I needed to do something. Go somewhere. Try to feel anything.

I understand why plenty of people turn their noses up at the chunky grey blocks of the Barbican, but I find them oddly comforting. Sturdy. Reliable. Authentic. There is something reassuring about architecture that is not trying to impress you.

I took a detour via St Paul’s Cathedral, which always astonishes me. Not just because of its architecture, but because of what it has endured. Wars. Fires. Political upheaval. Crisis after crisis. It is still standing. Still watching. For me, that quiet endurance says more about London than any skyline ever could.

Friday was another quick sunset dash up to Victoria Dock. Same place, different light.

Saturday brought a much needed trip to Alexandra Palace to watch the Snooker Masters semi final, a riveting match between Wu Yize and Kyren Wilson. Ultimately, it was a game shaped by unfortunate slips and missed chances. A five five draw paved the way for an intense and hugely entertaining decider, with Wilson eventually coming out on top.The final walk happened today. Tuesday 19th January 2026. Can you believe we are already 19 days into the year.

A gentle wander around Greenwich, courtesy of a friend on the same degree, took me to places I had never explored before. The Painted Hall at the Royal Naval College took my breath away, and I loved seeing the Identity and Connection exhibition. There is something fascinating about tradition preserved, almost frozen in time, with the interjection of something modern, new, and unmistakably tourist facing.

Then it was on to the skittles alley for a couple of truly dreadful games. My friend absolutely smashed it. I, meanwhile, hammered the wooden lane with the dexterity of a brick.

Finally, we made our way to the Queen’s House and the iconic Tulip Staircase. Though, I must admit, the spiral left me a little cold. It is visually impressive, yes, but I cannot fathom influencers and social media addicts queueing patiently for an impromptu photoshoot. Not everything iconic needs to land, and that is okay.

It has been a tough week. But those are often the weeks where I take some of the best pictures I have ever taken. Unthinking, present, alive, awake. Bipolar and ADHD can make life a real misery at times, but the lens, admittedly borrowed from my dad, seven years later, has changed my life forever.

There is just nothing quite like it.