Blue skies, sunshine, clear seas, really good cheap wine and our friends…….are all things I’m missing being back in the UK. However, having family just a couple of hours away is absolutely wonderful, being able to go for a walk through greens fields and forests is just magical and not having to mentally prepare every sentence in your head is quite nice!
It’s been a whirlwind of a few months since we’ve been back, hence the lack of writing, for whch I apologise. Time has been spent catching up with friends and family, exploring the area and work. Yes…..I’ve got a job. The Italian holiday was well and truly over and a full time job was a slight shock to the system back in November. It’s an admin job locally on a temporary maternity cover contract (so it works out perfectly for our future plans) but I absolutely love it! It’s good to be back using my brain and being part of a team.
We’re lucky enough to be based on the Wiltshire/Oxfordshire border, with the North Wessex downs to the south and the Cotswolds to the north. There’s a plethora of quintessentially English villages crammed with chocolate box cottages and picturesque village greens. Most with a wonderful looking pub which usually gets added to the ‘must visit’ list. A list which is growing quicker than we can cross them off. Even throughout the winter exploring the area was a sheer joy. Five minutes down the road is the Ridgeway, a steep chalk ridge which runs from Ivinghoe Beacon in the east to Overton Hill in the west. Arguably Britain’s oldest road, it was adapted in to a 87 mile long National Trail in 1972. The section near us is home to the Uffington White Horse, a 110m long figure formed from deep trenches filled with crushed white chalk on the hillside. Of all the white horse figures throughout the UK, the Uffington White Horse is thought to be the oldest, dating back to the late Bronze age approximately between 1380 and 550 BC. Just along the Ridgeway from the White Horse is a place called Waylands Smithy, which is home to a long barrow. I discovered this ancient burial mound one November morning whilst Peggy and I were out walking. The trees were still adorned with an array of green, golden and russet leaves, patches of blue sky teasingly poked through fluffy clouds and the low sun cast long shadows across the historical site. There wasn’t a soul around except for Peggy, myself and the chirping birds. With the exception of the information board the place looked how it would have done when it was created 5,500 years ago during the Neolithic period. With the towering standing stones guarding the entrance and the still, calm atmosphere it felt a very spiritual place.
Now the short, winter days have inevitably slipped into longer, more promising spring-filled hours the area has seemingly changed again and looks anew. Only last weekend, Peggy and I capitilised on a rare day to ourselves, packed the rucksack and headed out for a few wonderful hours yomping through the English countryside. Without having transport we were forced to go from home so a route was designed that I perhaps wouldn’t have ordinarily done and it was just fabulous. We left early before most people were up, the sun was already out and there wasn’t a breath of wind, we found ourselves winding along footpaths, through fields full of rapeseed, creating a fabulous colour palette of bright yellow against the clear blue of the sky. Barely seeing a soul for hours the tracks took us through farm land, alongside babbling brooks, down hedgerows that bulged with blossom and dotted with little birds skimming and hopping along in front of us. A herd of deer crossed the path only a few metres away, both them and Peggy stood stock still, I’m unsure who was more surprised! Grassy banks were full of daffodils, some still stood to attention, others slightly weary looking, soon to wane away. But the woodlands were springing in to life with a handful of early bluebells already having woken up and the promise of a blue carpet soon to follow. A few hours and twelve and a half miles later we found ourselves back at home with slightly heavy legs but lighter souls and smiles on our faces.
Of course it’s not just by foot we’ve been exploring, it’s so good to be back on quiet, country roads on the bike, not having to worry about being taken out by a crazy italian driver or attacked by a pack of stray dogs! We’ve joined a local club, Farcycles from Faringdon, for a couple of Saturday rides and I must admit it’s great being back with a group. Their fantastic routes have taken us on some wonderful roads and there’s nothing like riding with others to give you that extra push. After the first ride I did with them I was walking on cloud nine as it was the first time since having cancer that I felt back to my old cycling self. Something that has felt a long way off for so long!
We had a slight (maybe massive) moment of madness at the end of last year, having spent days cooped up with covid I think delerium had set in and we entered a cycling endurance event. The conversation went something like this:
Mr BND: I’ve found this event, it’s 500km in 33 hours, shall we do it?Me:Yeah why not?
Turns out there are probably quite a few reasons why not, like the 18,000ish feet of climbing, cycling through the night and whether or not we’ll still be talking to each other at the end! But for those that know me, know I love a challenge so on the 25th June at 6am we’ll be cycling out of Falmouth, Devon headed for the Admiralty building in London. The event is called ‘Ride the Trafalgar Way’ and follows the route a messenger took to deliver the news of Nelson’s death and the victory of the Battle of Trafalgar. Fundraising wasn’t the main motivator to entering but it seems too good of an opportunity to miss, so if you would like to donate then please find my Just Giving page here.
So training in earnest has started and we’re making the most of the Easter holiday period to jet off to Mallorca, not for a relaxing beach holiday as Mr BND is hoping for, but for what I’m calling a training camp! I will of course let you know how it goes!
Links:
For the route I walked with Peggy: Click here
For information on Ride The Trafalgar Way: Click here
Just Giving Page: Click here
Brand New Day 