R's rue: Circuit

Circuit

The path to Lenny Hill

August has been a bad month for me. I believe I am getting better now but in the background to this blog I have been suffering with some kind of virus. Though my sleep has hardly been disturbed, every morning has been like starting up an old car. Spluttering and coughing. Handkerchiefs and tissues at the ready. And this pattern has kind of washed me out. By the way, lateral flow tests taken twice demonstrate it's not COVID.

I haven't felt like undertaking garden chores and the amount of walking I have done has been negligible compared with most Augusts. Consequently, my stamina seems much reduced. To walk miles you must keep walking week in and week out. Use it or lose it - I am very aware of that particular piece of wisdom.

Anyway, today I thought I would test myself out with a circuit I have plodded many times before in the last thirty five years. This time I remembered to take some garden clippers and a saw. I needed the latter to tackle a small tree that has bent over the path by Redcar Brook. It had become an annoying obstacle.

Clint was parked in Shorts Lane by 1.30pm. With boots tied, I was off on a walk I know like the back of my hand. For variety, sometimes I do it in a clockwise direction and sometimes it's anti-clockwise - like today.

Climbing up through the woodland on Lenny Hill, I kept stopping to catch my breath. There was no need to overtax myself. On many past occasions, I have slogged up that hill without stopping but not today.

I took a few pictures and the last one is of my saw as I took a break while clearing the obstruction. The sawing was not too onerous but it left a heavy weight to manoeuvre (American: maneuver) to the side of the path. I felt happy to have made the going a little easier for other walkers who pass that way. I also clipped back a lot of brambly briars, slender branches and holly.

Incidentally, I noticed that Redcar Brook has almost run dry - proving that there has been very little rain in the last month.

Healthwise, I am hoping that September will be kinder to me. I am supposed to be meeting up with my old friend Tony next week for a much longer walk in virgin territory - perhaps at the north end of The Lincolnshire Wolds.