This very emotional trip to the English Lake District followed the walk to the mountain of Skiddaw, described in Adam Sharr’s book “Heidegger for Architects”. In this book author tries to explain Heidegger’s concept of thought as a forest path – Holzweg by “taking” the reader for a walk. In my journey I decided to recreate that walk and document it with these photographs.
Following the given, already inscribed path we trust it leads us somewhere, always unsure of the destination. In this remote place, experiencing phenomena of nature we become more aware of our presence and place. As we walk through the valley we witness signs of human’s inhabitancy. Fences, stone walls, water troths, ruins of shepherd’s huts and most of all the Skiddaw Youth Hostel with time became part of the landscape. This particular building was used in the book to introduce Heidegger’s thinking concerning architecture as our interpretation and understanding of world around. Derelict buildings show the absence of its inhabitants. These structures as “fragments of the past”, built and dwelled according to people’s need at the time now abandoned speak of the passing way of life.