Walking videos - Reviews
Walking videos are brilliant. It's difficult to overestimate how helpful I found them during the lockdown.
I have mentioned before on the blog, that due to the lockdown and raising a baby, I have walked around London far more than I ever used to. But another thing I found I enjoy is watching walking videos on Youtube. They are amazing.
I am sure I am not the only one who discovered these during the lockdown. They give you the opportunity to see other cities or just a bit of your own city you don't know. It allowed you to remember what it was like to get out, and they are so calm.
There is a huge selection which varies in type and quality. Some are technical masterpieces; some focus on what's cool, some are local history, and some of my favourites aren't narrated at all and are closer to ASMR, with brilliant sound production. If you want to calm down, watch 45 mins of someone quietly walking around Djion or Seoul in the rain, it's brilliant.
I've picked three of my favourites below, but there are loads.
Johnny Strides
Johnny is a Toronto-based creator. His was the first channel I watched (as Elsie is from Toronto so there is lots of family there). He has a big following and a huge collection of videos. He clearly loves his city and has covered huge swathes of it. He does other clever things like live streaming, but I haven't tried this.
The video quality is good, and his narration is fun. Although he does seem particularly interested in public transport and chain restaurants!
Johnny Strides - Toronto based, a bit obsessed with public transport
John Rogers
John Rogers is the second creator I started to watch, in part because he focuses on east London and is based fairly close to our new neighbourhood.
His videos are fascinating. He is a writer, and so his videos have far more of a narrative and outline the history of London. I don't think he would mind me saying he seems a bit of an old-fashioned lefty (but what's wrong with that), so his videos do tend toward social history. But he has done some great videos of the City and seems fair.
The quality of the actual filming isn't maybe quite as good as, say, Watched Walker, but that isn't why you'd watch him. He does great walks all over London and knows a huge amount of history of some of the more obscure bits. I have put a link to his blog (the lost byways) below.
John Rogers - East London-based, old-fashioned lefty
Watched Walker
Watched Walker is slightly different to the ether of the above. There is no narration. The creator tries to document the look, feel and, importantly sounds of cities.
They are long, shot beautifully (albeit possibly over-saturated) and give you a brilliant feel of what London is like. I think my favourite are the night videos. I am not going to try and describe too much, just have a look.
Watched Walker - No speaking, brilliantly calm
