Discovery

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When we were considering buying the house I was worried that it would be too lonely for A, so I called her. “Yes, yes,” she said, ”but can we go for walks from the house?”
Having studied the map, I could reassure her.
Now, after 7 years, we can stay here for a week and go for a walk every day, without ever having to do the same track twice. I thought we had exhausted the possibilities.
Today, after the last guests had been gone a few days, the house had been cleaned, and other jobs done, we felt like going out again.
We’d done it before: studied the map, and ventured out in new directions. But often they led to paths overgrown with brambles, or barbed-wire fences, too hard to cross.
Yet today we tried again, and to our joy our route led to a beautiful winding track that ended in a small paved road. We turned right into a dead-end of well-kept holiday homes. From there an easily travelled path led us up through the fields and across a trickling brook to a small hamlet of farmhouses with flowerboxes in the windows. The road beyond took us to known territory and led us back the long dirt track, meandering home.
We were elated! This is what discoverers must feel. To have gone out on an uncertain adventure, with not quite enough information about the outcome. And then, the delight that it all worked out better than expected!
After 2 hours we came home to well deserved coffee and plum crumble from our own orchard: three happy explorers, 2 persons and a dog!