How Lockdown Can Change Your Surroundings

by Louise Shannon

Finding a new woodland

It’s fair to say that since the imposition of lockdown in the United Kingdom, everyone has found themselves in a conflicting situation. There are those who perhaps appreciate the cancellation of exams or the extra time off work and there are those who, understandably, may feel caged within the confines of their homes. In my own experience I dreaded the thought of a quarantine, seeing it as what would be possibly the most uneventful, and yet necessary, period of my life. However, having now gone almost two months in isolation, I have learned that whilst isolation may have put a temporary end to one lifestyle, it has allowed me to live another, more provincial than I have previously.  

I am fortunate to be able to live out lockdown in the countryside of Aberdeenshire, where my family own a farm. Having lived in this picturesque region for most of my life, I’d long grown accustomed the sight of Grampian mountains, endless fields and, well, rural life. In spite of this, the reality of now not being able to leave my locale had left me looking for a new form of freedom that could be experienced within a familiar radius. And whilst not having seen a single populous area for months has been a highly unusual situation, one benefit that others who live in rural zones will recognise is the ability to go outside without the risk of coming into close contact with others. Therefore, I’ve spent much of my time in isolation walking around deserted country trails and keeping occupied outdoors, whether it be with photography or sketching landscapes. 

Stargazing

Footpaths

During these walks, I found that I was able to enjoy the environment far more than I was ever able to do before the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed I was able to almost create ‘adventures’ out of this, exploring forests and back trails I’d never had either the time or interest to explore before, whilst also being able to stay active and kill boredom. Needless to say, in accordance with social distancing I wouldn’t stray too far away from my home, but ultimately I found I didn’t need to. These little discoveries have been quite literally on my doorstop for years. Although small and mundane, they have made a difference to how I perceive the quarantine and the restrictions associated with it. It has helped me to realise that simply acknowledging the details of one’s everyday surroundings can make the restrictions of isolation seem less formidable. 

Rather than seeing it as the seemingly endless waste of time, I now see it as a time to connect with sights that I’d never stopped to consider. Naturally I don’t think these are close-to-home experiences I’m likely to miss again! 

Cow farming