Until the Winter of 2007, we were living in a different part of Yorkshire to where we live now. It's only 42 miles away or there abouts, but the landscape there was very different to the landscape we have around us now. Our previous home was in the Vale of York, which is as flat as a pancake :: a fertile bowl of flat, arable land, big skies, and a long way to drive to get up a hill and view a View.
J and I both grew up as children in naturally hilly countryside, its a part of who we are if you like. And we found that after nine years of living in The Vale with no views to speak of and very limited hiking opportunities, that we missed the hilly terrain. Craved it. Craved it enough to contemplate moving our little family to a place which would give us back the hills that we loved.
One of the other reasons we decided to move location was linked to Family. My family lives 300 miles away, but J's family are here in Yorkshire. And in moving here to this town, we have effectively closed the distance between us by a considerable amount. We are now Local. And one of the huge benefits of living Local to family is the possibility for Spontaneous Arrangements. And these sorts of arrangements are hugely beneficial to all concerned.
So it was, that on Saturday evening we had a phone call and a request from my beautiful sister in law, asking if she could "borrow" the Little People on Sunday. She wished to take them out. For lunch and to the cinema. I'm not sure who was more excited :: Auntie S, The Little People or J and I!
Being given a day to spend together still feels like the greatest luxury sometimes. As much as I love the children and adore our weekends spent as a family, every now and again it's a delight to be free of parental responsibilities, to snatch a little bit of time doing things that we used to do pre-children. There was no question as to how we would spend the day, no discussion was needed :: we both knew immediately what we would do with our Sunday. We would pack a picnic and go and hike out in the wintery hills.
To climb a hill, to huff and puff and work ones limbs in order to get up above the bit of world below, is a feeling like no other. I find it exhilarating to climb, to pause and view the path I have trodden falling back down behind me, to see the landscape laid out before me, to get a perspective on where I am in my own little itty-bit of the world.
The craggy hill we chose to climb on Sunday isn't far from where we live, maybe 2 or 3 miles or so. In fact, if I look out of the Attic24 window I can see it quite clearly. It rises up above a beautiful reservoir that we often walk around and picnic beside in warmer weather.
It's a deceptively hard climb to reach the summit of this crag. From down by the frozen waterside where we've park the car, it takes perhaps an hour or more of climbing to reach the top. We are walking through snow, it's crisp and cold and beautiful. Up and up we walk, admiring pristine snow drifts and marveling at the fact that down in our town the snow has disappeared, yet here we are a few miles away and all is still a White Winter Wonderland.
Eventually we make it to the top. Its rocky and craggy and oh-so-high. We can see for miles. We see our town, we know our lovely house is nestling in it's cosy street down there somewhere in the distance.
I am very aware of being nearer to the sky, of the lightness of being up so high. I spend a while drinking it in, observing the movement of clouds, feeling the solid rocks beneath my feet, and feeling the cold air on my face. I am very In The Moment, the moment of Here and Now, of feeling and observing and being very glad to be alive and able to climb a hill with someone I love.
I am very very hungry. We choose a rock-with-a-view, spread a blanket and eat a simple lunch :: pitta bread stuffed with cheese and salad, an apple, homemade flapjack, chocolate. Hot coffee in old fashioned enamel mugs. It's fantastic.
The whole way we have been walking, J and I have been talking. We chatter about the children, about school, we plan our holidays, plan weekends away. We reminisce about the many many walks we have done together in past years, many of which have been in snow and ice. We laugh about our treacherous climb up Pen Y Ghent in snow and ice one winters day in oooh 1995 was it? About how I came down Pen y Ghent slip sliding the whole way on my backside.
My descent from the Crag is remarkably similar. Described as a "scramble", it is icy, snowy and rocky, with no distinct path. I slip, I slide, I come hurtling down over rocks, crashing my way downwards through the snow. It is comical. I start to laugh and I cannot stop. I am laughing so much that my stomach is hurting. J is laughing at me too. He is in front but fears I am gaining so much speed that I could well come bowling into him, so he side steps and lets me lumber past.
Oh. My. Goodness, I have not laughed so much in an age.
We make it down in one piece, very much faster than we went up, some of us faster than others.
We are back down on the flat again, finishing our walk round the peaceful, frozen grey water. No windsurfers today :: only a few hardy souls braving the elements and walking out in the Winter.
It was a great outing. It reminded me how very much I love my husband, as much now as fifteen years ago when we first started climbing hills together. To walk together, to eat lunch with a view together, to laugh uncontrollably together, to just be with one another and feel so alive and In The Moment is as simple and as good as it gets.
xxxx
You are so lucky Lucy...to have a man that loves you and that you love still to this day with all of your heart and that you haven't lost sight of that love. I applaud and commend you both!
Posted by: Kathy Prickett | March 22, 2010 at 07:45 PM
Lucy your life is blessed!
Posted by: Becky Cochran | November 03, 2009 at 03:56 PM
i'm in LOVE! what a super experience and thanks for sharing it with us! you've given me ideas and permission to break out of my rut! loved the photos, the explanation and the joy! i too have rolled down a hike. i'm grinning with the recall. have a wonderful valentine's day!!
Posted by: jane | February 14, 2009 at 03:01 AM
Wonderful post. I grew up in a part of the world with wonderful hiking and snowy winters. Although I love my home now, I do miss the mountains, fall colors and snowy winters tremendously. Nothing quite compares to the wonderfully happy, tired feeling after a day spent out in the snow.
Posted by: Ryan | February 13, 2009 at 05:20 PM
simply stunning!
Posted by: summerfete | February 12, 2009 at 03:29 PM
what a lovely marriage you have. xx
Posted by: driftwood | February 12, 2009 at 02:38 PM
The way you explain your excursion makes me feel like if I was there,you enjoy your life so much!
I love your happy blog!
Posted by: marina | February 12, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Oh, your post and those photos took me away. Snowy and magnificent. Thank you.
Posted by: Tinniegirl | February 12, 2009 at 05:11 AM
What a wonderful picture you gave us of a fun and comforting day complete with all that makes a day memorable!!
Posted by: Shelley in SC | February 12, 2009 at 02:30 AM
lovely pics..
You live in a beautiful place..
Posted by: lulu | February 11, 2009 at 11:22 PM
I love your posts about your walks makes me want to pull on my coat,scarf, hat and gloves on and get out there and enjoy the great outdoors!! I should do more. Your photo's are very inspiring laughed about you sliding back down on your bottom - it must of been quite trecherous in the snow! your so lucky having all that on your doorstep makes me want to move to the countryside.
Sarahx
Posted by: miss sew n sew | February 11, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Lucy I so enjoyed this - you exude happiness, which is quite an art these days....
Thanks for your lovely comment - and you are welcome to "think out loud" on my blog any day...
x Elspeth
Posted by: Elspeth Thompson | February 11, 2009 at 09:43 PM
Great post, thanks for such a lovely walk. I just want to thank you for the granny square pattern: I've been out and bought the wool and have made 4 squares this week. I can't find the bright colours though, maybe I could buy some from your wool shop and they would post it down to me in Kent. What d'you think? Love Sal x
Posted by: Sal | February 11, 2009 at 08:40 PM
Lovely post Lucy, you make walking sound so much fun!!! But not sure I'll give it a go!! You sound so happy together :) x
Posted by: Josie-Mary | February 11, 2009 at 07:56 PM
What a lovely day you had. The scenery is stunning. When we visited the UK in 2007 we went on a very short walk near Pately Bridge, but very green, rather than white - a truly beautiful part of the world. It would have been lovely ending your day by returning to your warm, snug, bright home. I love visiting your cheerful blog.
Posted by: Jannimary | February 11, 2009 at 07:40 PM
Aww, thanks for sharing your walk! Grogeous pictures. Andi x
Posted by: Andi | February 11, 2009 at 07:05 PM
Hi Lucy
What a wonderful post.And the pictures are
great.You live in a wonderful country.
Have a nice week.
Hugs,Regina
Posted by: Regina | February 11, 2009 at 06:54 PM
Hi Lucy,
I love your post and can very much relate.
My boyfriend and I love to walk too. We visited the Yorkshire Dales for a long weekend last spring - climbing Ingleborough and Pen y Ghent. This was in preparation for walking the Great Glen Way in Scotland. The weather was atrocious (extremely wet!) but it was not enough to put us off and I think added to the atmosphere! It was my first visit to the Dales and we will definitely be returning soon! You live in a beautiful part of England.
Posted by: Debbie | February 11, 2009 at 06:46 PM
I am visiting my in-laws in Yorkshire this weekend... hope there is some snow left! So beautiful!
Posted by: Heather Thorp | February 11, 2009 at 06:33 PM
I think yorkshire is simply stunning, so much so that we are trying to encourage my OH brother to move there, so we can visit more...
We are going to Hardcastle Crags on sunday...I'm so looking forward to it....lovely post..xx
Posted by: Mel | February 11, 2009 at 06:02 PM
What a contrast between your inside and outside posts but both so lovely. Everytime you post your attic photos I always wanted to see beyond those hills of yours...and it's stunning. I hope you show more photos in the spring and summer from up there. But it looks so cold....brrrrrr....you must be a brave soul to walk and picnic in such dreadful weather. Thinking of you sliding down made me smile. You have a wonderful way of getting a kick out of life no matter what, don't you? It's quite nice to read about the wonderful bond you have with your husband. Very sweet!!
Posted by: cathleen | February 11, 2009 at 05:49 PM
What a beautiful post about your wonderful trip with your husband.:) I can see why you both would choose to move back to that area. So pretty! It reminds me of all the times Glenn and I would go for day trips and hike in the hills to take in the beauty of Idaho. Just a most wonderful time.
Thanks again Luce for a wonderful post about your neck of the woods and the wonderful "writing" you do.
Have a most wonderful evening dear! ;)
Posted by: Kar | February 11, 2009 at 05:24 PM
Thank you so much for sharing your Sunday with your hubby. Now, if he would just take a camera and snap pics of you sliding and laughing, although I see it perfectly through your description. However.....I see you sliding down in your pink pj's. HA! You are so blessed.
Hugs,
Posted by: Moonie | February 11, 2009 at 05:23 PM
I love popping into visit your blog! your photos are always such eye-candy! I enjoy reminicing about Yorkshire too when I see the photos of your hikes. Thank you :)
Posted by: Lisa | February 11, 2009 at 04:31 PM
Lovely post Lucy, I smiled all the way through it. x
Posted by: marmaladerose | February 11, 2009 at 03:30 PM