Strangers from Overseas came for the neolithic hill forts. The Romans came. The Angles and Saxons from northern Germany and southern Scandinavia came. The Vikings from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden came. The French from Normandy led by William the Conqueror came, and landed at Hastings. The Spanish in the Armada came. Plymouth Sir Francis Drake …
Tag: travel
667. Shapes, Structures, and Vistas
Bigbury on the Sea approach BW Walking the South West Coast Path involves the eyes. In paying attention to the world around me, I notice the shapes, structures, and vistas of tangible objects. Along with color, these are indispensable elements to physical entities in this world of ours. The following photos come from our natural …
666. Bumps, Bruises, and Blood
Almost everybody will share in bumps, bruises, and even blood when they walk. I question some folks decision to walk parts of the South West Coast Path. Yesterday, hiking up the Gold Cap, at 627 feet the highest point on the southern part of the SWCP, I see an overweight elderly woman, walking with a …
664. Kindness Gone Awry
Another sunny day to walk. Temperatures in the high 50’s or lower 60’s. A perfect day. My day begins as I chat with an older English couple taking their morning walk. He is from Wales; she is from London. After working in Houston for years. “You must be in oil” I reply. “What else?” “We …
663. I’ve Never Had Pork Cheek
I’m the first one to the hotel restaurant at 6PM. I’ve had another one of those days of walking 10+ miles and an elevation ascent of 2500 feet. Since I always start at sea level, and end at sea level, an elevation ascent of that distance means a descent of that distance. My thighs and …
631. Learning about Dorchester
Dorcester Thomas Hardy I know nothing about Dorchester. At first, I didn’t know which is the county and which is the city, Dorset or Dorchester. So, I’m pleasantly surprised when we spend several days in, the town. Staying here primarily as a convenient resting place to see ancestral villages, I grow to enjoy Dorchester for …
629. Kingsbury Ancestors (2)
Winterborne Whitechurch St. Mary's Parish Church There is no other good way to visit the three villages associated with William Henry Kingsbury. So, I cough up 120 pounds for three hours. Although Vince, our driver, doesn’t know much about Winterbourne Whitechurch, Milton Abbas or Morden, he is a safe and pleasant driver. I’m not entirely …
623. Pilgrims’ Movement: Following a Backpack
German walker As I mentioned previously, I’m enjoying my efforts of making sense of this long-distance walking in general, and of this South West Coat Path in general. I’m afflicting you with more of my early thoughts here, especially as this walk relates to pilgrimages. For simplicity’s sake, a pilgrim is a person moving toward …
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622. Benches
The standard image of a pilgrim is a walking figure. I enjoy the figure on the Mount of Forgiveness only a few miles outside Pamplona. The pilgrims are walking or riding. I thoroughly enjoy the lone pilgrim outside O Cebreiro who holds his hat as he strides into the Atlantic wind. Pilgrims moving! Yet pilgrims …
618. Clouds
Early Light Porthleven Bude Rain coming Does anyone see me, I don’t care. I’ve got places to go, shapes to take, though I know not where. Like an actor in a play, I change. Sometimes in the first peeking light of morning, I let you see a bit of me, but only a bit. Sometimes …
Journeys: Explorations in Body, Mind, and Spirit 