Welcome to my blog. If you are a lover of walking and smiling keep on reading. If not give it a try you may discover something is in there for you too!
Introductions first of all. In books there is a prologue setting the scene. As a marketer I should know what the norm is for a blog but this blog is born separately to my profession so I’ll go by instinct on how to set the scene.
Why a blog and why now?
Since I was a teenager I wrote short stories, lots of long letters to my friends and family, diaries on and off and a short romantic story during A-Levels. And then when PCs and emails arrived I was delighted to be writing long emails and keep electronic diaries. Technology stopped me a bit when short SMSs got in fashion but was saved when smart phones and WhatsApp appeared so I could resume my need for writing long long long messages and emails to friends, family and dates.
At work I’ve written a lot about electrical appliances and educational courses, office space, science parks, student accommodation and lot of other things.
So all in all, I’ve done my fair share of writing and as my friend Inbal has always said that I should take up writing, I’ve decided to try blogging. I’m choosing to do it now as I just felt an urgent need to do so.
I chose to write about walking as all my other hobbies have changed so much throughout my life, but walking has been one constant element in my life that has always been there for me no matter what. Friends, jobs, countries, houses and men have come and gone but walking has always been there for me. It has seen me through happiness and sadness and it has been something that has rarely been affected by the weather. It’s the one theme that I can truly claim to be an expert on!
About the author
Name: Eriana
Age: Various according to mood and setting – usually though I’m stuck at feeling as if I’m at my early 20s
Profession: Marketer during day and romantic dreamer at evenings and weekends
Background: Born and grown up in Athens Greece with lots of sunshine and love. Studied and lived in the UK on and off during my 20s, but have finally settled in the UK for the last ten years and have become a British citizen too embracing rain, a good cup of tea and all other things.
Interests: Other than walking, I play the piano, paint watercolours and travel the world as much as I can.
So with prologue having been set, it’s time to move on with the real topic of my blog…walking.
Last Saturday’s Walk – Beechwood Nature Reserve
I will start my blog with my most recent walk which took place in Beechwood Nature Reserve in Cambridge last Saturday. It’s a significant one because it was my first proper walk into the woods after a foot injury that has kept me from walking in the last 4 weeks. An injury that was caused by a 16-mile walk around the Penistone Boundary Walk but I’ll devote my next blog to this one.
As with all my walks the run up to the walk is equally significant as the walk itself. It was one that I was very much looking forward to. The scenery at this time of the year with all the autumn colours of orange, yellow, green, red and brown is simply divine. The marriage and combinations of colours that nature puts together leaves me speechless and lost for words of describing how beautiful they look to me. It’s only with the lens of my camera and thoughts of how I would depict them on watercolour that I can express my feelings for all these explosions of colour.
To arrive at Beechwood Nature Reserve I drove from Hertford to Cherry Hinton through the A10 and then A505 which was a very scenic route and a new route for me. The sun was shining during my drive which was a promising sign for the walk but unfortunately it was only a temporary effect that got lost just before I was about to start my walk. I met up with someone who took me to the reserve and we walked together through the trees and pathways. The reserve itself was a small one but worth visiting. Since I wasn’t able to do my normal 2-hour walk, the small pathways were perfect to ease me back to walking. The place has impressive wood majestic beeches and good views of Cambridge’s agricultural fields. There were quite a few fellow walkers mostly with dogs who were getting their weekend treat and meeting up with other canine friends. As there was a dark cloud during my walk I haven’t been able to take lots of photos but I’m sharing a couple that I took.
I felt really happy walking on the autumn leaves through the beeches and being able to walk again. And having company as opposed to walking on my own, which happens quite often, topped up the feeling of giddiness. My age on that day was 10 years old!!!! Lots of smiling then while walking. I’m afraid though that with me stopping quite often to notice a leaf or a mushroom, the sheep or a pooch I may have upset my companion who was keen to walk on without interruption. Come to think of it he was quite tolerant with me as apart from stopping frequently I also talked a lot.
The walk was followed by a beautiful lunch at the Plough which is situated by the riverside in Fen Ditton. Ambitiously we sat outside thinking it was warm enough but half way through relocated indoors. After all it is mid-October so really sitting outside is a bit crazy! After lunch I was lucky to witness the start-of-term rowing of students through the river that passed by in front of us.
Knowing that I was working on the Sunday the lovely day spent at Beechwood Nature Reserve gave me energy and helped me sleep peacefully rather than be grumpy. I was happily tired the next day with the thoughts of the previous day keeping me going while working. So…thank you Cambridge.
Join my next blog for an account of my Penistone Boundary Walk in Yorkshire!
Walks and Smiles 