You Make the Path by Walking
This is, more or less the walk we did yesterday. It’s 5.5 miles, but there are loads of variations to make it shorter or longer, all helped by 2 nice pubs. The Black Bull, just off the path in Edgworth, and The Strawbury Duck, next to Entwistle Station.
The Wader is a 10foot tall heron, sculpted in galvanised mild steel by the British based Dutch artist Marjan Wouda. It has been a feature of the northern shore of the reservoir since 2008 and depicts a heron patiently waiting for its prey. The stick in the heron’s beak is, apparently, a stick and is a recent, unofficial addition.
The title of the post comes from a poem by Antonio Machado: ‘No hay camino, se hace camino al andar’, which roughly tramslates as “There is no path, you make the path by walking”. It’s been a favourite of mine since about the time of my diagnosis. It seems to sum up the random twists and turns of life. It’s also been an encouragement to keep on walking as an aid to my health, both physical and mental.
Yesterday I finished my January walking challenge for Prostate Cancer UK. Over the month I’ve walked almost 61miles and raised just over £500. I’m really grateful to all of the people who have donated money to this cause, and also grateful to the people who have accompanied me on various walks, particularly my wonderful wife, who did most with me, but also to the two David S’s and also Neil M who helped out on a walk around Rivington (David S) and yesterday’s walk at Edgworth (the other David S and Neil). I’ve ended January in a much more upbeat frame of mind than usual and I’m looking forward to continuing my walking through February.
Having said all that, today is a beautiful day and I should be out for a walk but I’m feeling a bit knackered. It’s hard to believe that it’s 8.5 years since Heather and I were walking 12-15 miles a day across Northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. I must be getting old.
Musical link this time is from the late, totally brilliant Kirsty McColl. It also has a Spanish connection in the chorus. Here are the words, so you can join in:
No le gusta caminar
No puede montar a caballo
Cómo se puede bailar
Es un escándalo