To Public Footpath

The coastal cliff paths from Abbotsham towards Bucks Mills in Devon provide some challenging climbs and lots of beautiful scenery. What a great way to shake off jet lag. These are just some of the views we had from the footpath as we walked for miles, up the cliffs and down, up and down, again and again. High on a cliff one moment, then down at the beach another. Tremendous exercise with lots of bracing air and seaside breezes.

If you look closely you can make out the footpath in some of the photos, evident as zigzagging lines or stairs.

As we walked along that late morning and early afternoon, I kept having to tell myself that it wasn't all a dream. Here I was in England again, after all these years.

Blissful Silence

I went down to the river today at lunchtime. With the snow not yet melted from the paths, not too many had ventured there. Sitting for awhile in this field to take these photos I became aware of the blissful silence around me. The occasional crow's caw and squawk of a seagull were all that pierced the stillness. It felt wonderful to sit among the silence with the warmth of the sun on me, wondering at the beauty of this tree.

When you experience this type of silence, you come to realise just how much noise surrounds you during your day. Some noises are beyond our control, like the sounds of traffic; others are self-inflicted, such as the background drone of television or radio.

Some people seem to be continuously plugged into some form of sound, even as they walk, exercise or take public transit. My choice is to be in the moment, to listen to what my inner voice might have to say. It's surprising what you discover without the distractions of exteral noise.