Welcome to family, friends and visitors. Here you will find interesting (hopefully) pictures of my part of the world, news of our household and probably, long ramblings about anything that catches my interest.

Monday 14 March 2011

Stepping Out.

Not so sunny today and very frosty first thing but despite only having a few hours' sleep I've had a good day at school. I was my usual grumbly self to start with (a bad habit of mine) as it looked like I had lost my hall time due to a visiting writer but luckily by the time I dragged my class outside to practice their dances without any music the hall was suddenly free and we were able to have a long practice which certainly helped towards next Wednesday's performance. Last thing in the afternoon it was the first of 3 tennis sessions and the lad teaching turned out to be a boy who went to the local village school with my boys. Once again it was light enough when I got home for my brisk walk up the hill to be extended to Bowden Corner before I turned for home. It's no great distance, 1 1/2 miles in total but it blows the cobwebs away and hopefully the hill is making me fitter.
When we are out walking on the cliffs, one of the things I enjoy (as well as the beautiful views and lack of people), is the varied nature of the actual path. No concrete strip to march along once you turn off the road but the bare earth and rocks themselves. Walking down the coombe (a coombe is a steep valley leading to the sea), the path is a choice of stoney soil or rabbit trimmed grass.
The bedrock is so close to the surface that it often provides a better walking surface than the soil which being clay can be very slippery when wet.

Here a scramble over rocks before walking between the gorse bushes.


And every now and again are some 'never ending stairs' which wind their way up the steep cliff sides. Each step is a different depth and height which is good? exercise though not so wonderful for the knees.

At the top of the cliffs the path is simply grass. I like this stretch because it really does look as if you are about to walk off the cliff though in reality there is a steep stepped gravel path heading downwards.
In many places you have to walk carefully over the vertically layered slate, not too comfortable to negotiate in sandals but my new walking boots are now nicely broken in and support my feet well. I'm quite looking forward to the 11 mile Nightwalk in 6 week's time.
A sunset last week. Tonight the sky was soft shades of pink and grey, not dramatic enough to photograph. Coming down the hill a big hare ran across the road in front of me and into the field.

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