I woke this morning, after an unusually long lie-in, and felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I’d planned this well needed day off from work some time ago, and it was such a relief to be able to switch off from everything. Most of the day will just be about me and Bella, my doggie.
I decided to take Bella on a walk to somewhere special to me. It’s a place where I like to sit a while and contemplate life. It’s a high vantage point, overlooking the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the surrounding countryside.497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoCbwrkPO3
We set off in glorious conditions for a December day. It’s my favourite weather, a mix of blue sky and cotton wool clouds. I think Bella could sense my excitement, as she picked up the pace in eager anticipation. It’s so refreshing to clear my mind and know the only thing I have to do for the next two hours is walk in peace. Bella is in her element, even though she has to stay on the lead. There’s a lot of wildlife to be seen. There is a lady feeding the ducks at the start of the lakeside walk, and there must be fifty or so ducks bustling around her, with a cacophony of frenetic quacking as they compete for the feed being thrown to them. 497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Nf9gVuZFp
We’re walking facing the sun, and even at eight degrees Celsius I can just feel it’s warmth. I can even sense it working it’s way through to my core, warming and calming me with every step I take. The sunlight is glinting off the surface water, and I can only hear the gentle chorus of the various birds that frequent the lake; the moorhens, mallard ducks, swans and coots. 497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB86haAHSHm
Life is suddenly in slow motion for both of us. How lucky and blessed we are today. After a hectic week, seeing very little of the grey and rainy daylight hours, this is like a small piece of heaven. I’m reminded of the lyrics from one of my favourite songs...497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdW51PdRffN
“Sometimes I come down here
And I don't know why497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwz1cboEOaz
It's like a garden or a room
Or a dream that you
Keep on trying to find”
Our walk takes us past the lake and then a steep climb up the side of a hill. At the first part of the hill a group of Jacob Sheep are congregated. They are a beautiful breed with curling horns and thick fluffy white and brown patchy wool. They have quite piercing eyes, with which they are eyeing Bella very suspiciously. Making our way past, we clamber up the slippery muddy pathway, carved out between the surrounding trees. It’s not far, about 10 minutes climb, and then we reach the top. There is a towering monument at the top of the hill, and underneath it a bench where we can sit. 497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ohqp3xOqz
As a treat for making it all the way here, I give Bella some nibbles, and then we both settle at the bench. What a gorgeous view. I can see for miles around, a mix of rolling countryside and urban spread. It feels like we’re on the top of the world.497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoNkCtTqTJ
I think an important part of life is making the most of these moments, and not taking them for granted. My mind is clear of worry. My soul is at peace. It feels as though time has stopped. I give Bella a cuddle, and we rest our heads together. 497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMy1xJ3Va4
I’m not sure how long we sat there. Time slips away. Walking back, we pass the Jacob Sheep as quickly as we can, so that we do not to distress them, and make our way back to the lakeside walk. Bella has her head down, sniffing the ground, as if searching out some tasty morsel. We’re walking back through the tree-lined section, and keep catching tantalising glimpses of the lake through the trees. 497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cJFeKAoHC
As we make our way back home, there’s a section close to home where I can let Bella safely off the lead. It’s a grassy area cutting through a small patch of woodland. She has a good shake of her fur and then bounds off along the pathway, skittering through the rust coloured remains of the autumn leaves. After each burst she looks back, just to check where I am. 497Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZA2Alh1r7p
So returning home, we both decide to flop on the sofa for a while, feeling the welcome embrace of a healthy tiredness that comes from a long walk. How blessed we have been.
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