Relaxing

Despite being retired, it is not often I sit down for two hours and just enjoy the view!  Today we orienteered in the Peak District on Stanton Moor.  It has wonderful all round views and, despite the scrubby and heathery bits, I really enjoyed my run, finishing 16th out of 66.

Afterwards we drove to Viv and Ranald's wonderful cottage, tucked away in pretty hillside and full of quirky corners and hidden places.  Tony was attending a meeting in preparation for the Junior Regional Orienteering Championships in September, which he is controlling.  It was warm enough for the meeting to be held in Viv and Ranald's garden so I retired to their swingseat on the top terrace with a cup of tea and a huge slice of Sarah's delicious red velvet cake, and finished my book, occasionally looking up to enjoy the view down the valley and Cassie the dog hurtling around the garden!

Below the cottage, in the bottom of their valley, runs the Peak Rail, a heritage railway running between Rowley South and Matlock and my blip is of the steam engine pulling its carriages southwards, the diesel doing the work on the northward journey.  It completed a perfect afternoon, thank you Viv and Ranald!

Book:  'Elmet' by Fiona Mozley, A disturbing, beautifully written otherworldly tale of life in a woodland idyll, shot through with violence and blood.