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| Kelston Round Hill viewed from the racecourse |
Yesterday reading Poetry in a Red Dress Blog a sudden shock of sadness for walks long gone overcame me. A whole group of people had gone up to one of my favourite long walks to Kelston Roundhill above Bath for midsummer solstice. Not that I wanted to be part of the group, only the memory of wandering up with Moss on a summer day to the small but perfectly rounded hill with its small copse of trees. You could walk from Bath race course down an old track that would lead eventually to North Stoke village. But taking the track to the left would take you up the hill. There was another walk up from our village, Weston but it was uphill all the way.
Over the years I explored this part of the world, watching on Sundays as the balloons sailed over from Bristol, often coming down on this higher land. The wicker baskets bumping along the grass, no one got hurt. On Sunday you could also get a balloon ride from Victoria Park in Bath, where Moss's ashes are scattered, as a throwaway line!
In Deborah's blog she mentions that there was probably a bronze age barrow on top of the hill, years ago a tree had overturned in a storm and beneath it's roots there was a pile of stones. But of course the Bronze Age cemetery was on the race course and the field next to it, though sadly destroyed by time and the farmer.
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| Moss always waiting for the ball to be thrown |
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| This wood was neglected and very boggy but I have a whole series of photos for it. |
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A small secret path, to the left if you went into the undergrowth it was where the deer stayed at night.
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Memories, memories Thelma. Sometimes almost painful in their intensity. Malcolm, my first husband, and I - when we lived in Wolverhampton - used to walk with a dear friend (who happily now lives in Windermere so I see often) all over Shropshire and that area. The Long Mynd, The Clee Hills, walks around Ludlow - and a favourite place was Stokesay Castle. Wherever we live leaves memories doesn't it ? Have a good Sunday and not too much heavy rain (I hope) if we get a storm.
ReplyDeleteYes Pat, I even have good memories of Essex. Which if you forget what you see on tv, has some lovely spots. Still sunny here, sorms are always late in arriving.
DeleteHow true Thelma and Weaver .We are about to leave the glorious Yorkshire Dales area and return to the Midlands,lots of lovely walks there it is true,but my heart is now firmly in the Dales.
ReplyDeleteExcept of course the whole of Britain can be beautiful, if you find the right places. I suspect it will be a sad moment to leave the Yorkshire Dales but then new home will override that.
DeleteIt seems a nice area but nowhere is better than Yorkshire.
ReplyDeleteWell I won't argue, only to say that the Somerset countryside is also very beautiful.
DeleteI love walks that are rewarded with nice scenery. I recently walked up a small mountain with grandchildren and that became a fast walk/race to the top. We missed all of the beauty of the day!
ReplyDeleteChasing grandchildren on walks is not good. When I looked after my first grand child Tom at 4 years old. I had to take him and my two dogs for a walk, I could only bribe him with an iced cake from the baker, and he argued every yard of the way.
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