Up High: One Tree Hill, South East London

Writing with the Seasons - May 2024

Welcome to ‘Writing with the Seasons,’ a collection of writing prompts, ideas and inspiration that follow the rhythms of the natural world.

This year we're introducing "Up High," a series on walking, writing and the view across rooftops and hills. For May, we walked to One Tree Hill, London.

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Sunrise: 05.19am
Location: One Tree Hill, London
Elevation: 105m

The morning belongs to the birds. We’re up before sunrise, and I’m soon dressed with snacks, pens and notebooks in my pockets (two Field Notes, one lined and another with graph paper, because you never know what you’ll need to write down). 

Every spring I remember the dawn chorus, but in winter I seem to forget its serious, competitive atmosphere and how it feels to walk through its volume. I have a new bird identification app on my phone—and in my mind a quandary about whether to use it.