Long Country Walk

Today, Monday, I joined with twelve other members of the local women's group and took a nine-mile walk in the English countryside. We took a train to a small town one hour southwest of London, and then roamed through fields and villages, stopping at a pub for lunch, and briefly touring the house where Jane Austen lived the last ten years of her life.

Our group was led by Hugh, a spry 75-year-old British retired teacher who leads many group hikes throughout the country. Hugh explained to me about the British system of footpaths that crisscross English farmland. Apparently, in earlier days, the people who lived in the country used to walk from their homes to church or to the market or to visit neighbors along these footpaths -- and they were established through common law as a permanent right of way for walkers, even though the paths cross private property. Hugh said that when someone purchases property here, the footpaths are shown on the map and the owner must honor them. According to Hugh, there are more footpaths in England than there are roads.

All day, we walked along roads, beside fields of growing crops, across meadows with grazing sheep and cows, and through woodlands. And throughout it all, we followed the footpaths, climbing over fences on steps, or walking through gates, all of which were constructed specifically for walkers.

The photo gives you an idea of how beautiful the scenery was.

This was a path through some woodland.

If you look closely, you can just make out the narrow path across this meadow below.

This path led between two fields of crops.

The photo below shows the view to the side of this path.

This was a typical 'stair' built for climbing over the fences between properties.

Another woman and I approached closer to this shed to get a good picture of the cow inside.......until we noticed that the bull was taking an interest in us.

We decided to leave in a hurry, without looking back!

In the villages, there were houses with thatched roofing.

The country views were beautiful.

After we completed the walk, we returned to the station and took the hour-long train ride back to London.

At home, I stood under the steady stream of a long, hot shower, and let my muscles feel the relaxation from the heat -- I didn't want them to stiffen up from all the walking and climbing of fences. I need my legs to work for me every day over here.