Less Travelled By

This little green enclave sits in the middle of the old village, not far from the church, and the old school; contiguous with, but not really integrated into, the childrens' playground. It's hemmed in by an old, narrow road and some modern houses, but it is surrounded by so many trees, walls and hedges that it feels almost like a secret space. I wonder who planted all the lime trees - now much too close together, but some are impressive, tall specimens. The leaf-fall from them is so copious that it has not been absorbed by the ground, so underfoot is a soft carpet of leaf-litter, silencing footsteps and adding to the numinous atmosphere

I think it is publicly owned land - possibly the responsibility of the parish. I feel there must be some history explaining its existence but I have never heard any stories. I have never seen anyone else here, and today was no different. I used it as a short-cut to the shop. Other people prefer to stick to roadside pavements. Lucky me

Returning home, I took the 'back way'. It's possible to access the brewery (and equally our house) by taking a rough green-lane off the road, climbing a stile, walking along a footpath on the edge of a field and entering the brewery grounds by a back gate. In dry weather, it is easy walking in normal shoes, shorter and quicker than walking along Brewery Lane, where the single-track road with no footway is shared with cars, giant delivery lorries and even occasional tractors and heavy horses. Again, I have never seen anyone else choosing the same option. I was rewarded by more solitude and a pristine speckled wood on the fresh nettle leaves