R's rue: 09.21

09.21

By The Peak Forest Canal

If you have been popping round to this blog for a good while, you will know that I harvest much pleasure from a long photo walk in unfamiliar territory. There's the map reading, the exercise, the history and the photo-taking. They combine like a chemical formula.

This morning I got up with the sun for a change, took a shower straight away and then came downstairs for breakfast with my habitual pint of tea. I made a ham roll and a flask of coffee to take with me on my latest adventure in the December cold. It was nice not to have to rush.

I filled my backpack and checked that I had everything I needed. I had made sure that my camera battery was fully charged and I had printed off a map that would guide me south from New Mills Central railway station and round in a big circle.

Though short as all days are at this time of year, it was nonetheless destined to be as sharp and bright as a new pin. I had my red "Thinsulate" woolly hat, my fingerless gloves and my big Hull City manager's coat.

My train over the hills left Dore and Totley Station at 09.21 and I arrived at New MIlls at 10.02. It can be hard to estimate how long a circular walk might take but I hoped to catch the 15.16 back to Sheffield. If I missed that one I could always catch the 16.16.

Well I did manage to catch the 15.16 after five hours of walking - stopping only for coffee and my ham roll. I saw many things and had a lovely day out. It was good to be fatigued and by the time I got back to Clint - parked on Dore Road not far from the station - the December sun had disappeared - beckoning another early Arctic night.

On days like these I feel truly alive and grateful that my body is strong and pain-free. It might not always be this way.