I have completed my challenge to walk 30 miles in a week for World Cancer Day which takes place on the 4th February each year. My mileage total is 32.59. I have made my donation of 1 pound for each mile I pledged to walk to Cancer Research UK.
The walking adventure that completed my challenge…
After my regular Thursday morning get together I headed off to Attingham Park for lunch and the Snowdrop Trail. I enjoyed taking my car for a leisurely spin in the sunny weather. When I arrived at Attingham I was surprised at how full the car park was for a ‘week day’. I checked in, made my way to the teashop and joined the short queue.
There was a sign suggesting that face masks should be worn in crowded and enclosed places, a reminder that there is still a bug on the loose and to be careful. Most people were careful, however I dropped unlucky! A lady behind me was up close and personal, as in so close she kept touching me. I arrived at the counter area with the sandwich and drink I had chosen and was asked if I wanted anything else. I didn’t.
As I was about to pay, the server attending to me asked if we were all together (meaning me and the two ladies behind me). Oh no said the lady behind me who was so close, she was touching me again. She still didn’t get it. I had to ask her to move so that I could get to the card reader to pay for my lunch. She moved just enough for me to access the card reader but was still in bodily contact with me!
Lunch items in hand, I picked up a glass for my drink as I made my way to a table looking out over the parkland. As I was finishing my sandwich a gentleman with a mobility walking aid arrived by my table and said ‘I am going to inflict myself on you, in fact two of us are, I have no choice’. As he was about to sit himself down at my table his wife called him away, other tables were available.
Comfortably replete, I set off on my walk towards the walled garden and the snowdrop walk. As I entered the snowdrop walk, I noticed a grey cloud over that area, the only grey cloud in a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. As I entered the woodland snowdrop walk I was first treated to ice cold raindrops followed by hailstones. I embraced the weather but regretted this meant I had to put my camera away.
I set off on a lovely walk around the walled garden, revisiting the snowdrop walk when the sun was shining (which it did for the rest of my walk), exploring new pathways in addition to my farourite walks. The photos of the walk speak for themselves there is no need for additional words 
Well done! It’s been ages since I’ve been to Attingham Park. I really should go again sometime.
I hate it when people have no concept of personal boundries. A while back I was in a queue at Coed-y-Dinas in Welshpool and the woman behind me was so close to me I’m sure the front of her shoes were touching the back of mine. Even me turning and glaring at her or stepping back slightly didn’t seem to give her any hints. I have no idea why people do it!
I don’t understand it either. I am perfectly OK with hugging family, friends and even strangers who I have had a random meaningful connection with.
But people standing intimately close to me in a queue, crowding me out in a supermarket or cramping me in at a public attraction annoy me. It is difficult for me to stay calm and whilst wearing a facemask over the last couple of years I couldn’t even deploy my ‘Paddington Bear Stare’!
Congratulations on your 30-mile marathon challenge! I knew you could do it! And for a great cause, too – go you!
Oh, Good Lord – people :/
That’s the thing I don’t get – okay, it’s fine if you don’t believe vaccines or masks will protect you (I guess) – but please be aware that other people believe differently and should have a choice, too, and maybe we wouldn’t like people getting all up in our faces anyway, COVID or not – so how about respecting their personal boundaries and space? It’s just good manners, good common sense, and proof of their awareness that there are other people in the room and world besides themselves.
Maybe Mark and I are overly cautious, but because we live in one of those states that is an especially angry shade of red, particularly anti-vax and mask-waring, we personally made a choice still not to eat inside restaurants, at present – not because the restaurant themselves aren’t taking proper precautions, because you never know what people will do, in this day in age.
But, I digress – back to your post – how beautiful, those snowdrops are! I don’t think they grow here, in Kentucky, or at least I’ve never seen them. The only thing that may bloom here, at this time, are maybe crocus or daffodils, but that’s only if it’s a warmer, mild winter – which it definitely is not, this year
Love you …
I am a little cautious too, but I have always known how to behave to minimise contracting or sharing a virus.
I am OK with visiting restaurants and staying in hotels in the UK. The restaurants and hotels I choose visit/stay have taken precautions, with distancing and other measures to be as safe as they can be.
Before Covid-19 I would not be happy with random strangers pushing me along in a queue. I am even less happy with them now!