On Saturday morning Tia and I had time for one of my favourite longer walks in the area, starting along a regular route north from our home, but branching off along this muddy path through what seems like woodland, but is in fact edged on either side by a belt of trees and hedgerows. It is a good route to observe the changing seasons, at present dominated by autumn colours that last of the hedgerow berries, and soon the dull browns of bare winter branches. In three months we will be looking for the green sheen of nascent leaf buds.
We climb over a stile in the path-side hedge, and enter a field often grazed by sheep, but at the moment vacant. The field is higher than the surrounding area, with views across the countryside, where I can identify the various church towers and steeples of the nearby villages, and in the distance in front of us I can see the line of houses along “our” Lane.
The footpath leads across a sports field, where Tia shows an interest in football coaching sessions, although so far has not tried to join in, and into a village, from where it is a short uphill stroll back home for a welcome cup of tea with @shepherdmanswife who returned home after a much shorter walk with Lesia. Or maybe, if it’s a cold wet wintery day, we may just decide to dry off in front of the wood burner with a glass of mulled wine…
This is spectacular -- it almost looks like pointillism the way the little dots of color form the overall scene. The leading line of the path takes us into the distance. Fav.
