A Walking Challenge

The inspiration for my walking challenge is a bit of a long story, perhaps too long for a blog post.  It never ceases to amaze me the connection we make with people in the on-line world, and I feel particularly lucky to have made a friend from the Joy Up Tribe who is currently walking the Via Francigena, the name of an ancient road and pilgrim route running from France To Rome, though it is usually considered to have its starting point much further away, in Canterbury.  The route passes through England, France, Switzerland and Italy.  In mediaeval times it was an important road and pilgrimage route for those wishing to visit the  Holy See and the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul.

I got to know Kym just as she was making the final preparations to begin her pilgrimage, and there was something about her journey which really resonated with me and it was through an email conversation I had with my coach that the idea of me doing some kind of my own walking alongside Kym was born. So, the intention has been set to walk the Lancaster Canal (in stages) and last weekend was the start of my first leg of the journey.

The Lancaster Canal starts at the Preston terminus and ends in Tewitfield (Kendal), most of the canal runs through open countryside except where it runs through the City of Lancaster and is 42 miles along.

So here my walking challenge started here:

 There were many pretty gardens with decking over looking the canal:

Graffiti to be found on some of the bridges:

Reminders of the cotton years - Tulketh Mill, built at the height of Preston's cotton years but then lost its way as the old industry declined. With Carphone Warehouse taking over the mill in recent years, however, the old mill has taken on a new lease of life, having found a brand new role for the 21st century.

As the canal gently meanded it's way out of Preston, I was greeted with  pleasant countryside, with plenty of sheep and cattle grazing in the fields:

Plenty of wildlife to observe and enjoy:

Heron

 

Cute little white duck

I'm not sure how long I had been walking before I came across a stretch of canal which was very familiar to me at Salwick, this part of the canal is beautiful :

My walking companion Jasper waits ahead

Soaking up the beautiful energy from the trees

At this particular part of the canal, there are long-term moorings, this boat was all stocked up for winter with wood piled up on the tow-path:

Some boat owners have a sense of humour:

I planned to stop my journey at Brock and I knew I wasn't too far away when I got my first view of the Bowland Fells dark and brooding:

This particular boat name made me chuckle as I knew I would be on my own cloud wine when I got home:

 

Bridge 47 is where the first leg of my journey ended (approx 13 miles from the Preston Terminus)

The Green Man Bridge

I felt a sense of achievement having completed this first part of my canal journey, it's the longest I have ever walked with just myself and my dog for company, and although this journey is nothing compared to the pilgrimage that Kym is currently undertaking, I was still proud and I had a happy heart.

In her poem, Pilgrims Blessing, Macrina Widerkehr writes, "May the weather that's important be the weather of your heart."

Day 17 - Touch

Day 10 - Red

Day 9 - Taste

Nasturtium Salad

August Break 2013 Day 8 - Selfie

August Break 2013 - Day 7 Skyline

Living in the North West, we get some lovely sunsets.  Here is my entry today, using the prompt "skyline". I must like this picture as it is on my blog banner too!

August Break Days 1- 6

It's that time of year again for Susannah Conway's August Break, as I have been away on holiday in Skye, I have missed the first 6 days. So, here is a selection of photo's representing days 1 - 6.

Elishader or Ellishadder  is a small  crofting township, situated close to the north shore of the freshwater Loch Mealt on the Trotternish peninsula of the island of Skye

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flodigarry

Deer Statue at Flodigarry Hotel

View over the water at Portree

Staffin Beach - I like the smoke signal type cloud formation

Tiny fishing boat on the water

The word for July is

I am aware of the practise of setting "words for the month", I dip in and out of this process, sometimes a word finds me, sometimes it doesn't.  A word for July quietly crept up on me today, it feels expansive, fluid, yet challenging.

And here it is

Can I allow myself to just "be" with whatever it is I need to "be" with?

I realised today that I am no longer a student, it's official, my College pass expired at the end of June, College is now finished, I feel like I have been pushed out of the nest into the big world.  Yet I find myself in a kind of no man's land, no longer a student but not yet a qualified counsellor (my exam results do not come through until September).  With a completed portfolio which has been 2 years in the making, I now have time on my hands, and I am twiddling my thumbs wondering what to do.

Completed Portfolio

Should I be "doing?" Can I allow myself to just "be" with whatever each day brings without feeling the need to "do" something.  Can I give permission to relax and see what unfolds?

Part of the "allowing" process, has reconnected me to painting. I picked up an unfinished canvass a few days ago, I'm still applying the layers, it's morphing slowly, from this:

To this:

 I learnt this style of painting from Flora Bowley  during an Art Retreat a couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to be in a group of 15 students and we spent 3 days painting with Flora.  I dipped into her book recently called Brave Intuitive Painting and smiled when I saw a picture of myself and a few others "flocking" in a field.  Flora has some great methods of freeing you up to engage in the painting process, from dancing to yoga to flocking! I am sure this canvass will go through many iterations yet and I hope I can stick with the intuitive painting process. 

I love this quote from Flora's book "the intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the raional mind is a faithful servant.  We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift" - Albert Einstein