Towards the end of last year I was feeling pretty locked in not just physically, I longed for freedom. We went for a walk up a big hill and on the top of the hill, in the rain looking over the bleakest of views, I was smiling, I had found my freedom.
I have been forcing my family up hills ever since and soon found our favourite and not just because you start the climb from the amazingly named village of Fulking. Everything is here and I mean that in the most literal way. For me, everything I look for physically, mentally and spiritually is here. The walk is steep enough to get your heart racing, the scenery varied enough to keep you interested on the way and at the top is the South Downs way, a comparative festival of people, cyclists and dogs walking along an ancient route which begs to be walked. It sucks you in and calls you to the top. There is no strain, no resistance just submission in to the surroundings.
At the summit of this wonderful climb you are on top of the world, everyday lives shrunk in to miniature to show perfect perspective on our little worlds against the mighty hills. The air is clean and delicious BP running with her mouth open telling me to suck it in, I did of course.
On this particular day this perfect place was made in to a paradise by both the weather and the timing of our walk. After weeks of lockdown the end is in sight and after months of winter spring is undeniably on its way. The bulbs have risen and the sun has warmth, the light changed from the distant white sunshine of winter to the nourishing light of spring. A light to bathe in, to sit in, to smile in.
And as if all of this wasn’t enough TP was speaking to a robin and it sat to listen. We stopped and watched and it came closer. We offered some crumbs and after mulling this over for a while it hopped over to us and gratefully took them. A true gift for us.
A wonderful wonderful day.
Rewilding my family 