A Pluviophile’s Paradise — Strolling by a Swollen River Leven

Earlier today, I was told, the renowned TV doctor, Dr Michael Mosley, graced the airwaves to sing praises about walking in the rain¹Mosley, Michael. 2023. ‘DR MICHAEL MOSLEY: Walk in the Rain to Perk Yourself Up… And Backwards to Boost Memory’, Mail Online (Daily Mail) <https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12524943/amp/DR-MICHAEL-MOSLEY-Walk-rain-backwards-boost-memory.html> [accessed 2 November 2023]. In a routine I’ve adhered to my entire adult life, I can’t recall a day when I haven’t ventured out for my daily exercise, regardless of the weather.

Evidently, rain confers a positive impact on air quality, as it attracts and purges minute, noxious particles from the atmosphere as it descends. These minuscule pollutants, predominantly caused by traffic, pose a considerable health risk due to their ability to infiltrate deep into our respiratory systems upon inhalation.

Even in the absence of such pollution, the initial rainfall following a prolonged dry spell releases an earthy fragrance as it contacts the earth, liberating minuscule air bubbles that infuse the atmosphere. This distinctive aroma bears the name ‘petrichor’, hailing from the Greek words petra, meaning ‘stone,’ and ichor, the divine fluid coursing through the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.

The principal constituent of petrichor is a chemical named ‘geosmin’, produced by soil-dwelling bacteria. There is substantive evidence suggesting that inhaling geosmin can undoubtedly induce a sense of well-being.

While I may not classify as a true pluviophile, my plodging along a swollen River Leven this morning did indeed arouse a certain exhilaration. On the opposing bank, an ancient oxbow lake that was strategically engineered a few years ago to serve as a detention pond had performed its designated task by temporarily filling, thus helping to alleviate flooding downstream, among a slew of other measures implemented.

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  Mosley, Michael. 2023. ‘DR MICHAEL MOSLEY: Walk in the Rain to Perk Yourself Up… And Backwards to Boost Memory’, Mail Online (Daily Mail) <https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12524943/amp/DR-MICHAEL-MOSLEY-Walk-rain-backwards-boost-memory.html> [accessed 2 November 2023]