I have been working on walking around the whole perimeter of a local woodland, but there is a path on one side that is open to a road, albeit a quiet country road with a field in-between it and the path, but it is in full open view and although I rarely see anyone drive down it , it feels a bit too exposed.

So today I had another go!

I took Jake(the dog) a walk at 8am and a thick covering of fog had settled over the woodland. With my previous attempts dashed by a breeze that cleared the early morning mist, I arrived at the location ready to do the circumnavigation.

Our days recently seem to start with a misty morning that clears by lunchtime to leave a beautiful English summer day. So although there was mist and fog it was in no way cold. I had left my shoes in the car and walked the 200 yards away from the road barefoot. So with nothing much to hide behind a tree other than shorts and a t-shirt I strolled on through heather and grass that had soaked up the morning mist.
My feet and legs were soon covered in grass seeds as I aimed for the perimeter path.

On reaching the wall at the corner of the woodland I had walked through the soft wet path and enjoyed the muddy ground under my feet on what at one time had been quite a distance for me to walk naked. Now though it is just a precursor to todays journey.

As I walked on the path along the edge of the wall I felt my usual calmness at being out in the country as nature intended, but today it was edged with an excitement at tackling the whole distance.

As I walked the sound of a tractor ahead made me pause. There is a farm over the hill and I often hear the sound of tractors or quad bikes that are used to round up sheep. More often that not the sound carries over the hill. However recently its been grass cutting time and the fields have been mowed for winter feed. I didn't think the field over the wall would be mowed this morning, as it was so wet, but there was definitely a tractor close by.

Not wanting to be surprised by a Yorkshire farmer looming out of the mist on his Massey Ferguson I picked up the path that cuts through the middle of the wood and contented myself with missing out a bit of the route. Not that it was important as the "challenge" was to do to the open sided part of the woodland anyway.

Picking up the dry floored path I followed its course towards to moorland

Behind me the sound of the tractor faded and I guess I would have been OK. He was probably just passing across the field, but caution being the best policy I felt I made the right decision.

On reaching the moorland I was happy to see that this morning the mist had not blown away as on other failed attempts, in fact it could be described more as a fog than a mist, so with plenty of cover I hopped over the wall and strode across the moorland.

Pausing at a ridge that I have used previously to look down on the path and across it to the road, there was no sign of anyone around and I couldn't even see the road. So breaking from the cover I walked along the edge of the trees following a recognised footpath to the bottom edge of the woodland. Here, there is the stile over a wall and stepping over that after pausing on top to take in the atmosphere I walked onto the path that I had set myself as the challenge to walk.

Its an easy path, but with a bend about halfway its not only open to the road, but anyone approaching ahead  would appear without warning. Still with the road obliterated there was one less thing to worry about.

I'm not sure how much my skin would show up against the background of the trees but with no sound carrying from the road I walked on relishing my achievement at finally walking this particular section of path.

A great feeling and one that made me laugh out loud!

I reached the bend in the path without incident and as expected there was no one around.. Not sure why I imagined there would be to be honest, but you never know and I guess that's where the challenge lies in reality.

Stopping to look over the road and what would be a terrific view over the moors It felt great to be there!

I walked back to where I started and to where I had left my clothes with a smile on my face and a happy heart. One hour and twenty minutes after I parked the car I was back and heading home for some breakfast. Sat in the garden with a mug of tea when the sun had broken through I felt great.

These are the days of our lives !
Brilliant ! 🙂