Explore, Map, Investigate!

InTRANSIT Festival of Arts 2012 in association with Rethinking Cities offers a series of specially created exploratory trails across Kensington and Chelsea.

Trail 1 - Map Ramble

Join us on an exploratory investigation of Kensington Park in which people come together to draw a collaborative map of their discoveries. Part self-guided walk, part social networking event, part voyage of discovery, part reappraisal of places and spaces, a Map Ramble is, above all, a lot of fun.

After a couple of hours of Map Rambling, participants share their discoveries, discussing issues that have been triggered by their journeys. A key part of the Map Ramble is bringing participants together to map the routes and spaces they have walked and the landmarks they have discovered.

Time Out 2007: “Highly recommended” and “Best of the Day”

Trail 2 - Nature Safari

If you think nature belongs in the countryside, that towns and cities are man-made deserts for wildlife, on this safari you will find out the truth. Well even deserts have special creatures, and the city is far from a desert - especially damp English suburban neighbourhoods!

We will head off into the depths of the urban jungle in Portobello Green, using our eyes and ears to explore the open environment and uncover its secret life. Informal but inspiring, meandering yet focused. Find out what the city offers to those who live wild. We’ll be thinking about security and urban food chains: looking for connections between our lives and the animals and plants that find a life alongside our busy streets.

Geoff Sample is a naturalist and author, specialising in wildlife sound, and Andrew Stuck is a consultant on walking and the city environment. Come and share their enthusiasm!

Trail 3 - Ruskin Walk

Stepping out with the vision of pre-Raphaelite promoter and social reformer, John Ruskin, you will be using his critical techniques to explore the local neighbourhood around Leighton House Museum. Ruskin played a pivotal role in bringing the pre-Raphaelites to fame and fortune.

Martin Fidler, creator of the Ruskin Walk, and Andrew Stuck, will provide each participant with a hand assembled visual journal in which to record their discoveries along the route.