A new route......

While out running the other morning I noticed a new path had been opened up where none existed before.  It appeared to have been an animal trail, fox or badger, but fencing had been removed and made accessible to homo sapiens .  It appeared well worn.

Start of new path     (Click to enlarge)

On a sunny afternoon I set out to investigate for having lived, walked and run around the area for 42 years, I thought I knew every path for miles around.   It began about ¾ mile from home through a pair of ivy covered stumps and followed a leafy hedge into Mellor Wood where I expected it to end. 

A blue haze

But it continued on its merry way through ancient trees where blackbirds and chaffinches sang and a woodpecker was giving itself a headaches hammering at something in the distance.

 Gary, an old friend of mine I've run hundreds of miles with but now living in Kiwi country, regards this wood as one of the most beautiful places on earth, mainly on account of its dense carpet of bluebells in Spring.  They aren't quite at their best yet.

That steep uphill

The path led out into a steep, open field where on sunny evenings my lurcher often had fun chasing a playful hare that would sit up and wait for Meg to catch up before racing her uphill at great speed. The hare always won.

Do not disturb

I could understand why as I huffed and puffed back to Clough Hall where an acquaintance had just kicked off his boots and settled into a pair of hammock type seats.

Fancy a run?

A thundering behind me as I crossed another field was one of the horses I run past in the early mornings.  I think it recognized me and came to say hello.
It stayed two metres away..