This photographer and Digital Camera columnist has just completed his epic five-year photo walk around the UK. Benedict Brain catches up with him to reflect on his artistic adventure

Quintin Lake

Blackpool Tower at dusk. Blackpool, Lancashire, September 2017.

Quintin Lake

Architectural and landscape photographer 

Quintin Lake originally trained as an architect, which informed his interest in geometry and serenity in all his photographic work.

Quintin is inspired by the serenity of elemental wilderness landscapes travelled on foot. He undertakes multi-day walks alone, carrying a tent, which helps him discover unexpected features of the landscape and allows the spirit of the place to get under his skin.

In 2015 Quintin embarked on a 11,000km walk around the British coast in sections. The project is called The Perimeter, which he has just completed. Journal entries from The Perimeter have been featured in Digital Camera for the past four years.

www.quintinlake.com

I t’s a blissful late summer’s day in 2020, and I’m on the Thames River Walk at Canary Wharf, London. I’m waiting to catch a first glimpse of Quintin Lake, who is just about to complete an epic 11,000km photographic walk around the UK. With just six kilometres to go, I feel honoured to share these last few steps with him.

A few hours later, along with a pack of journalists, a TV crew and a horde of loyal followers wearing ‘The Perimeter’ T-shirts, we arrive at the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral. It’s an emotional moment as Quintin embraces his wife and two children, and his father. There are yet more friends and followers, champagne and balloons to conclude his five-year walk around the UK, which he started on the very same steps on 17 April 2015.

A few weeks later, after he’s had a welldeserved rest, I catch up with Quintin over lunch to reflect on his adventure.

How does it feel to have finally finished?

[Laughs] Well, it does feel like a bit of a death in some ways. It’s difficult to not have a mission anymore. Editing the pictures and re-living the experience is a good thing, but I’m not missing the physical burden.