Today I went for what I would call my first proper walk since the knee replacement op. 57 days ago.
In the seventeen years I have lived in Arnside I can only remember one occasion driving up to Sizergh Castle and having a brew in the café. Today I set off from their car park on the most perfect little walk I have done for some time. Starting up an ancient lane I then doubled back to climb gently on perfect cropped grass to reach a 126m spot height with expansive views to the Lake District hills covered in snow. A steady descent, again down old lanes brought me back to the car park and the café for a pot of tea and a jam scone. That was a round of 1.92 miles - I walked very steadily using my poles and took 1.83 hrs - average speed: 1.05mph, but I did stop for quite a few photos, and I certainly wasn't rushing, rather trying to prolong the overwhelming enjoyment of getting out again, especially with discovering such attractive new terrain so close to home.
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| A pleasing example of some crude blacksmith's work - pity about the Philips screws. |
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| On parkland estates one chances to find such bespoke gates |
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| Steady climb on pleasant short grass to high point and Lake District views |
Sadly I will be attending brother Nick's funeral on Monday next. We did have a few good walks together over the years, but Nick was a passionate sailing man. Here are two blurry photos from a good day we had in Wensleydale on 30th March 2004 - note the wellies rather than boots
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| Conny Tammy Currack summit |
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| Addlebrough summit. The trig point had been removed |
Great little walk to 'feed the rat'
ReplyDeleteThoughts with you Monday.
Well done for getting out Conrad, lesser men would have hung up their boots - not you!
ReplyDeleteI'll be thinking of you on Monday, I'm lost for words - such a sad time for you.
My best wishes.
Well done, Sir!
ReplyDeleteAnd in one bound he was free!
Careful now...
:-)
Nick was of the opinion I talked too much. I didn't mind that, it was demonstrably true. Better that than talk too little; then you're little better than stones and/or discarded waste.
ReplyDeleteWhen the three of us stayed the night at The West Arms in the tiny village of Lllanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog (need I add it's in Wales) we arrived early and chose to walk perhaps three-quarters of a mile up a nearby steep hill. You were involved in an incident but that's not for now. At the top Nick said, "I thought the steepness would stop you (ie, me) talking but it didn't." At first hearing that sounds crusty, on reflection it can be regarded as a compliment. Or perhaps I'm over-imaginative.
I'm glad you've been released from jail but please, please don't overdo it. I'd urge you to do that walk again - more than once - and post about it each time. With this proviso: deny yourself any of the facts you've previously included. What, you will ask, might I write? In this case an expansion of your opening phrase: either "frabjous day" meant something or it didn't. Do you reckon your piece caught any of the frabjousness?
BC - I think the rat has many disguises.
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JJ - I have one pair of boots by the hearth: the ones used on my Land's End/John 'o Groats walk with the ingenious improvised repair to stop the sole coming off, but I have no plans for adding to that mini museum at the moment.
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Alan Sloman - Thanks. I do enjoy a good tongue in cheek cliché - made my day. Reminds me of John Ridd in Lorna Doone, a character not shy of informing the reader of his prowess, but your cliché would need to be translated into the first person, a tricky style for novelists whether embellished with clichés or not.
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RR - I aimed for brevity. I could have incorporated musings about the gates and latches, and more of the castle, but that material, you would probably argue, was "wasted" on the photo captions. That is certainly a walk I would want to repeat, and it may be worth thinking about what qualifications a walk must have to promote that motivation - it is fairly rare in my case.
Lovely area that, with lots of scope for variations. In March Brigsteer Woods are full of daffs and quite magnificent. Hopefully your knee will be ready for that by then.
ReplyDeletebeatingthebounds - I think Knee Two is dictating more the kind of pace you adopt with more frequent stops for photos and soaking up the scenery - that's good. I will certainly be back there again. That spot height at 126m could make a good spot for sunset photos.
ReplyDeleteYou will have to put the Knee of Cairnsmore on your list. Great to read your out and about again Conrad.
ReplyDeleteAlan R - I hope you are now recovered. I have not climbed The Knee - it's main summit, Cairnsmore of Fleet is a Marilyn.
ReplyDeleteWell done Conrad. Keep it going, a bit at a time, and do take care...
ReplyDeleteBtw - I’m enjoying your GR10 book just now.
Phreerunner - I went out again yesterday - 2.05 miles, but part on footpaths - stiles not funny, will stick to roads for the moment.
ReplyDeleteI had occasion to delve into my LEJOG book yesterday - a friend is visiting her brother who has moved to Rosehall in Sutherland, and I walked through there and stayed at an eccentric b and b. I wanted to give her certain information, and now, looking back, I wish I had recorded more in my diary at the time. You know as well as me how difficult it is keeping up with all the domestic chores, booking ahead, and trying to do a blog when we are on these long walks.