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
Such beauty! Such love! A wonderful way to spend a day. :~)
Posted by: gardenymph | February 11, 2009 at 03:10 PM
What fabulous and dramatic pictures, and yet so lovely and peaceful! I feel the need to don my walking boots and set off on a trek - although the most ruggedness I would come across would be the shingle on my driveway! Maybe I'll just stick to making a cup of hot chocolate, have a quick re-read of your post and pretend! Cat x
Posted by: Cat | February 11, 2009 at 02:50 PM
what for a great landscape...
Posted by: stella | February 11, 2009 at 02:41 PM
Oh lovely lovely pictures of beautiful Yorkshire. As is so often the case when reading your blog I am now feeling rather homesick. I know both the vale of york and those wonderful hills of north yorkshire so so well and despite the fact that I love my live now down here in Oxfordshire, I do miss Yorkshire from time to time. Especially when I see lovely pics. Even more so as my in-laws-to-be have just phoned me to share with me the fact that they've just driven in to north yorkshire right now. Yeah thanks in-laws! Thanks for sharing your pictures today. It sounds and looks like you had a perfect day.
Posted by: Fiona | February 11, 2009 at 02:29 PM
It looks beautiful, and sounds like you had a wonderful day together. you and J are very lucky to have each other and to have such delight in each other. Sounds more romantic than any Valentines' meal.
Posted by: Julie | February 11, 2009 at 02:21 PM
I like the Yorkshire so much. Don’t get me wrong, I never went there. It’s just I know it from All Creatures Great and Small. Don’t laugh. I like it since then and I want so much to go there. One day I will go.
Beautiful landscapes.
Alfazema
Posted by: paula | February 11, 2009 at 01:58 PM
Sounds like a great day. I've also opted for the 'sliding down on my backside' method of descent in the past. So much more fun that way! :) Mr J and I are planning our first weekend without the small person this weekend (a valentine's treat) and I'm really quite excited. I think it'll be the first proper time alone in 19 months! I think a day walking might be in the offing after a very lazy morning in bed with papers and pastries - bliss!
Posted by: Rebecca | February 11, 2009 at 01:38 PM
Gorgeous.
Posted by: A Thrifty Mrs | February 11, 2009 at 01:30 PM
This blog entry is better then any Valentine card or gift.
You have the ability to make simple things GRAND.
Happy Valentine to you and your family
Nath
Posted by: Nathalie | February 11, 2009 at 01:25 PM
Amazing scenery, such a contrast from your home comforts post. Used to go walking up there a lot before our girls came along.
I have given you an award for a friendly blog. You can find it on mine if you want to see.
Lisa x
Posted by: Mrs Bun | February 11, 2009 at 01:24 PM
Stunning views. Wonderfully descriptive writing.
Posted by: simone | February 11, 2009 at 01:17 PM
hey lucy,
thank you for the pretty little walk with you.your pictures are great.i think i could feel the cold and smell the coffee.i always enjoy visiting your blog.
england is a great country.my friend works in south england.i visit him and we had a beautiful walk in dartmoor.
please excuse my terrible english,i learned it a long time ago.
xxbetti
Posted by: SelimoviC BETTI | February 11, 2009 at 01:16 PM
Stunning and beautiful, both words and pictures. Thank you for sharing.
Nina xx
Posted by: Nina Nixon | February 11, 2009 at 12:55 PM
You live in a beautiful place...but I know what you mean. After raising 11 kiddies with only one left to go, I'm getting some "breathing" room and hubby & I are starting to "get" to know each other once again...funny thing is we found out we still like each other ;) (lol).
I enjoyed this post very much.
Posted by: Judy | February 11, 2009 at 12:54 PM
lovely, lovely, lovely! such great, peaceful, mindful words and images for me to start my day with!
Posted by: Emily | February 11, 2009 at 12:54 PM
Oh wow, Lucy! I am not an outdoorsy person, but you make it sound damn attractive!
Love the pictures and words. Beautiful.
Posted by: Carina | February 11, 2009 at 12:51 PM