Litter was strewn over today’s grid square like wrapping paper on Christmas morning. I didn’t want to be disheartened by it on every out- ing, but nor did I want to not see these problems or accept them as nor- mal and just shrug my shoulders. I live far from the cascades of contour lines, miles of moorland or rushing rivers I relish. Could I really scratch my adventurous itch on this tame map, bereft of mountains, oceans or dragons? I doubted it this morning and wished I was exploring Siberia rather than suburbia and this odd ecotone, a transition area between the city, suburbs and countryside. 

Out of all the country’s maps, mine was down in the rubbish rel- egation zone for adventure potential. But that also made this project a more universal one than if I lived, say, on map 402 in the scenic Scottish Highlands or map 24 in the Peak District.