Don't let the side down – have a rest.

When you are out on the track, you do have to pace yourself. We had been walking well all day, with some stops – morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, getting closer and closer to the day’s accommodation. Some of us have the propensity to maintain a momentum which may be difficult to stop if you find yourself hurrying to get to the other end.

“Smell the roses” is an oft-repeated suggestion, which is pretty spot on. After all, the walk we are on is not a race, there may be an inn which doles out larger pints of cider or ale to the first walker through the door, but I haven’t found it yet; it’s a walk which should be an opportunity to engage in all our senses and give us time to talk to the locals, check out that antiques shoppe, maybe have another fruit bun with that cup of tea.

What about peeking through a church door and admiring the ecclesiastical architecture ancient masons constructed; the ruins of a castle that may still hold a spell for the curious walker.

What about just taking a rest (or even a short nap) when your legs, lungs or heart suggest it. The picture above shows us doing just that – resting after the considerable climb up to the summit of Haresfied Beacon, the site of a stoneage fort.

  

After the rest we appreciated the wonderful views from our vantage point and agreed that the climb was worth it. Now we were ready to hit the path all the way down to Painswick and a great dinner.