Family Walking

 

We went walking on Sunday.

It was decided on Saturday evening that we would do a Family Walk if the weather looked half way decent when we woke up the following morning. So sure enough, after breakfast on Sunday morning we packed a picnic lunch, gathered boots and raincoats and headed up into the Yorkshire Dales to spend a day out in the open.

 

It wasn't an especially glorious day weather wise, kind of overcast and breezy, but quite mild and fresh all the same. And it felt oh-so-good to be out in the midst of the countryside, breathing it all in :: great lungfuls of fresh air, and great eyefuls of nature and scenery. Sooooooooooo good for the soul!

 

J and I have done this beautiful walk many, many times, it's one of our favourites. It's a picturesque 6.5 mile circular route, and in fact, I remembered just yesterday when looking at my photographs that J and I did this exact same walk at almost the exact same time last year. But this year, we had the company of the Little People, in their little walking boots, carrying their very own little rucksacks.

This was Family Walking.

Walking with the LP (as I think I've mentioned before) is alternately fabulous and frustrating. It's fabulous to get caught up in their excitement and exclamations over the things they see. It's frustrating to daaaaaaawdle so much of the time. But all in all, I would say the faulousness outways the frustrations. I think it does?? Yes, yes it does, of course it does.

 

Alongside the river Wharfe there are many horse chestnut trees, looking alarmingly Autumnal for this time of year I thought. The branches were already beginning to wear their Autumn colours, and it was beautiful but slightly melancholy to see the fallen leaves littering the grass.

 

But where there are horse chestnut trees with Autumnal looking leaves, there are also conkers to be found.

 

And oh! The Excitement!! This was certainly a huuuge part of the fabulous/frustrating walking experience with the LP. Such huuuuge excitement over the discovery of immaculately shiny brown conkers in their little padded cases! And such a daaaawdlingly long time spent searching for them under the trees. And then came the inevitable arguments over who had the most, who's were bigger/shinier/more conkery.

But hey-ho, it was not so bad, and soon the conker trees were behind us and we were all ready to stop for a picnic lunch break.
 

After lunch, and after the dawdling first part of the walk along the river, it was then time to get up into the hills. Time to properly walk, to stride out and climb.

 

I find this scenery so incredibly serene and uplifting, I just love it. Not quite as much as I love being by the sea, but a damn close second.

 

On this particular day, I really loved seeing the little patches of sunlight moving across the hillsides, I was mesmerised by the play of light and shadow.
 

I say to the Little People :: Look at how the sun is lighting up the hills, isn't it FABuLous????!!

They humour me, but really and truly, I think they prefer conker hunting and fish-spotting by the riverside. And chocolate.

They dutifully look at the sunlit hills and tell me their little legs are getting tiiiiiiiiiired, and their little feeeeeeet huuuuuuuurt. And they really neeeeeeeeed chocolate for energy.

Luckily I have come prepared for this eventuality and I begin to dish out little nuggets of chocolate at regular intervals to help with the tiredness and the hurting.

 

We are now in the mid afternoon and have been walking/dawdling/conkering/lunching for about four hours. And at this point, walking up this quiet country lane, the chocolate suddenly totally fails and Little Lady stages a sit down protest. She sits down in the middle of this road and declares that she can absolutely walk no further.

Its tricksy this, cos J and I know full well that we still have about another 2 miles to walk.

So we do what only Parents can do, and we lie.

We say it's SO not far, only just up the road and across a few fields, that's all, we'll be there before you know it and you can have an icecream at the village shop.

And so with the idea of icecream, we finally persuade Little Lady to stand up and carry on....we play a game pretending that I am a steam train and she is the carriage, and I begin to physically pull her up the hill behind me. Now bare in mind that I am also pretty shattered by this point, I think I do rather well. I huff and puff (for real) and sound like a very impressive steam train. But we make progress, and the train game is kind of fun.

Eventually, after many fields, many stiles, many more ups and downs, and quite a lot more complaining we chug back into the little village where our car is parked. And I for one am exhausted. Desperate to sit down and rest. Well, we all are.

But oh, I did enjoy our family walk very much, so very much. Even with all the dawdling and conker-induced arguments, even with all the tiredness and hurting and protesting, even with all the huffing and puffing and exhausting steam-training.

Yes, the Fabulousness did outway the Frustratingness.

It really did.

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Comments

[Fred]

Thoses landscapes are so nice !

[sumea]

Ah..I have missed Your Lovely nature walks...so glad to be back on one again :o)

[suzie sews]

I know this area well, my boys love the suspension bridge, we walk for hours along the bank...

[Michelle]

whew! i'm tired just reading that! ;)

hope the LPs slept good that night!

[Hilde]

Hello,
I am an admirer of your blogg. Beautiful pictures (you are a talented photographer) indeed. I live in Norway and is an Anglo-fan (hope it is the right word). Your latest pictures of Yorkshire countryside reminds me of som of the scenery from "Heartbeat" which is a huge success on Norwegian televison. Like to go to England on a "car-holiday", even though you drive on the wrong side. Have a nice weekend.

[corrie]

Oh my! So beautiful. I would love to walk there. I will dream it tonight. Thanks for the photos.

[Jennifer]

It sounds like such a gorgeous walk, even though it might have been a bit taxing. I remember conkers well (I grew up in England), how much fun for the little ones. I can definitely see how some chocolate would help weary little bones.

[suesue]

Just catching up too and wanted to send congratulations to y'all all. I had my fourth (very unexpected) 5 years after my third child. We had given everything away (baby things, clothes, maternity things) so I felt like I was starting again. The joy that child has brought me (19 yrs and going strong) is unbelievable! I feel like he kept me younger (being forced among those younger parents!) and I really loved all those younger years despite sometimes feeling a little worn out! Looks like you're keeping up so well! Congrats again!

[Nina - Tabiboo]

The persuasion of chocolate and icecream - every parents little emergencies to pull out of the hat when needed.

I not suprised you were tired - good going though, four hours!!

take care,

Nina x

[paula]

Such beautiful place. I think England is the most beautiful place on earth.
And the Autumn leaves and chestnuts...
Thanks God Summer is gone in England.

[Claire]

What a lovely walk, I have a feeling I may have walked over that very bridge myself in the summer, although I'm not 100% sure. We did a walk from Barden to Grassington along the river. But the bridge we crossed was very narrow and bouncy! Lovely! The dales are beautiful, I used to live in Leeds and would often go out and about in N Yorks.

[Peng Peng]

another great post Lucy. When I have children someday, I want to be the kind of mother like you are. Such inspiration you are.

On another note, if was there on the walk with you, I'd probably ended up like Little Lady as well because I am rubbish at walking.

One thing I noticed people in the UK enjoy are long,long walks. Not so bad during the summer months but walking in the middle of winter with the cold cold wind blowing into your bones *chill*.... not my cup of tea.

Anyhoooo, really enjoyed your post and your pictures and I do know that Yorkshire has some of the best country sides !!

[Lynette]

Wow, all this whilst you were carrying an extra ne inside. I'm impressed. The kids will have very happy memories of these days which will stay with them all their lives. The ice cream at the end was a good idea.

[Maria]

Absolutely love the autumn colours. Just wish I could experience them. Will have to travel way south to find anything like that as its way to warm here

[Tammy]

Hello Lucy - was going to comment on the news, but you already had over 400 and figured you'd spend awhile reading. So congratulations!

Lovely lovely pictures. In my mind's eye that is how I always see England...

I started my own ripple because you inspired me. However I am more drawn to darker, fall foliage colors and BR(hubby) picked them as they are for him...

[Karen Greenfield]

Dear Lucy--do the LP string the conkers on string and try to hit each other with them?? I've read about this Fall activity in the 'Miss Read' books which are laid in the Sussex downs. She always makes it sound as though the conker strings have 10 or 11 on them but the ex-husband's English writing colleague (who lives in Cheltenham now) says no, people only put one chesnut on the string and then battle to see who's is the toughest nut.

[Kate]

The conkers look like the buckeyes we have here in Indiana. Their shell is sort of spiny however. Wish I could walk with you in your beautiful country.

[Melodie]

Thanks Lucy for taking us on your fabulous walk. I really enjoyed seeing your wonderful countryside, AND tagging along w your family. What precious memories you are making!!

[Elizabeth McMahon]

After living here (Australia) for 40 years photo's of the Yorkshire Dales - and shiny conkers - can still pull at my heartstrings, thanks,
Lizzie
XXX

[Anna]

I think we're going to have to work out how we can walk with our 9 month old. We LOVE walking, but haven't done much since I became pregnant with her - I really miss it! Thanks for reminding me :-)

[Cat]

Your photos have captured the arrival of Autumn. Beautiful. Cat x

[Erica K]

Such amazingly beautiful scenery...

I had no idea chestnuts came in a little package like that! Cute!

[Wendy Wager]

On family walks when my boys were small and flagging, I would pull on an imaginary rope and encourage them to do the same. They would either join in or laugh at their silly Mummy! Forgot to say before that what we all get from your blog, including you, is Social Capital. Our lives are enhanced by the connection we feel and also the creativity we share. X

[Pina Refat]

what a lovely walk, wish I was there with you among the lush green fields and streams. I just love the English country side with its stone walls, so beautiful :)

[lisette]

Beautiful walk! And WAUW, you already have chestnuts!