A Good Walk

The walk yesterday was fantastic! It was like a summer's day, and we went far from the crowds taking a path which may or may not have been a right of way - but in the open country, not farmed land, so I assume we had a right to roam.

We diverted from the planned route to explore an old quarry and slate mine, which had a satisfying cave, leading to a water-filled tunnel going deep into the hillside. It had the most wonderful acoustics. All the kids (and I) yelled and sang down it. Goldie was not quite sure about it...

Then we continued our diversion to the top of a hill we had been going to go around, and had our picnic at the summit. Once up there, it seemed a shame to lose height so we took a ridge path to the next summit and then dropped down to a pass to regain our original route.

We stopped by a mountain lake to cool our feet, and eventually made our way back down to the valley to where we'd left the car. Although the car park was packed, there had been long stretches where we'd hardly seen a soul.

Over the course of the route, we kept forming and re-forming into little sub-groups, so everyone spent some time with everyone else, whether singing and telling stories and jokes, having more serious conversations or simply walking in companionable silence.

Ant and I got a little sunburned, but all agreed (even the little ones) that it had been a marvelous day out.