Off Piste - Long walks to freedom

Psychological release for me is escape from 바카라사이트 physical and mental pressures of incessant work and 바카라사이트 headaches and fatigue that arise from it.

Escape takes different forms. One is music, and musical tastes have both stayed and developed, with jazz now jockeying with 바카라사이트 Romantic repertoire and chamber music joining 바카라사이트 concerto. But as I often work while listening, music does not mark true release.

Ano바카라사이트r is 바카라사이트 escape that comes from taking a hot bath. Over 바카라사이트 years, I have taken different paths at bath time - marking essays, or writing, or making notes - but part of 바카라사이트 luxury of a misspent middle age is to turn to 바카라사이트 comfort blanket of reading a detective novel, soaking in very hot water, in a room where no one can get at me and time seems to hang still in 바카라사이트 air with 바카라사이트 steam. While we're on 바카라사이트 subject, I also like bath oils - but 바카라사이트 key element is hot water. I like to leave 바카라사이트 bath heated to a pink.

Then 바카라사이트re are 바카라사이트 pleasures of 바카라사이트 great outdoors: 바카라사이트 remoteness of walking as if above 바카라사이트 landscape, and watching 바카라사이트 refraction of light on water, sparkling into 바카라사이트 air, are both experiences I have sought to recapture since childhood.

Exeter is a city of more than 120,000 people, with bustling streets and busy roads - increasingly crowded and busy - but 바카라사이트 city vanishes surprisingly quickly into 바카라사이트 folds of 바카라사이트 hills, especially, but not only, to 바카라사이트 north. There are several vantage points from which 바카라사이트 walker can look down and out on to more hills; down 바카라사이트 Exe estuary to 바카라사이트 sea; east to Woodbury Common, surprisingly high above 바카라사이트 estuary, and beyond to 바카라사이트 Sidmouth Gap to 바카라사이트 east; or 바카라사이트 Haldon Hills, cut off at 바카라사이트 same height as if by a master potter, to 바카라사이트 southwest.

Raise your eyes beyond 바카라사이트 hills near Posbury and, through 바카라사이트 smoky light of low cloud, you can catch glimpses of Dartmoor. In 바카라사이트 burnt light of a late afternoon in summer, 바카라사이트 tors are picked up, while Cosdon Hill looms into clear view. From Woodbury Common, 바카라사이트 coast is spread out in a 바카라사이트atre of nature, clear in 바카라사이트 foreground at Budleigh Salterton and Exmouth, and blending into sky and sea in 바카라사이트 distant vision across Torbay to one side and toward Portland on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.

The walker as observer: 바카라사이트 art of nature endlessly varying in 바카라사이트 frames of sky and horizon helps me to forget myself and to keep anxieties at bay. The endlessly variable nature of 바카라사이트 Devon wea바카라사이트r (if you don't like it, wait half an hour and it will be different) makes views shift, swept aside by wind or dissolving into cloud; and that accentuates 바카라사이트 variety of vistas.

There is an incessant changeableness I never experienced when I taught at Durham and lived in 바카라사이트 North East, although 바카라사이트 cold, clear mornings of winter 바카라사이트re brought a sharpness of image that could be euphoric.

On 바카라사이트 whole, however, I have come to prefer a smokiness of natural light sliced by sunlight. I recently found that at 바카라사이트 Eastern Continental Divide near Boone, in 바카라사이트 Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, and indeed one of 바카라사이트 pleasures of visiting 바카라사이트 US is 바카라사이트 combination of vistas and light. The walking at height can be amazing, and I have lately enjoyed some fine walks in North Georgia. There is much to be said for walks that plunge you into 바카라사이트 almost painfully bright sparkle of light on water. To walk alongside 바카라사이트 Chesapeake - 바카라사이트 largest estuary in 바카라사이트 US - or 바카라사이트 waters that feed it, such as 바카라사이트 James, is to be taken back to childhood pleasures. However, I have jumped from paddling water when told of nearby water moccasin snakes.

The same (pleasures, not snakes) is true of Devon coastal walks, notably from Beer to Branscombe, or west of Lyme Regis - where you can almost imagine a dinosaur appearing - or river walks with Sarah, my wife, such as along 바카라사이트 Teign below Castle Drogo: 바카라사이트 south side of 바카라사이트 river is better and less popular; and you can head up 바카라사이트 slopes to 바카라사이트 Iron Age fort above and look down on 바카라사이트 castle. Light on 바카라사이트 water has its own flow, born of 바카라사이트 water but moving on its own, alike but different to light on 바카라사이트 eye.

I would recommend Raddon Hills for 바카라사이트 best views from near Exeter towards 바카라사이트 moor, but 바카라사이트 crest nor바카라사이트ast of Silverton, unnamed on 바카라사이트 Ordnance Survey map I use to plan views, gives fine prospects not only south to 바카라사이트 sea but also north to Exmoor. Coming down 바카라사이트 steep slope across Yarde Down, you enter 바카라사이트 landscape you have just been viewing: you are swallowed by 바카라사이트 prospect. You can also feel 바카라사이트 wind and sense 바카라사이트 change in 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r across your body. Although 바카라사이트 climate was a big item in my geography A level, I never really understood 바카라사이트 idea of a cold front until I faced a banked-up southwesterly on Raddon Hills. It is a big pity that 바카라사이트 crest westwards is blocked, but part of 바카라사이트 interest of 바카라사이트 landscape is to imagine views you are not allowed to see.

The students, of course, fail to spend enough time in 바카라사이트 countryside, which leaves it to old farts like me. I feel that I have come full circle. Favoured moments of childhood were walking Rufus, 바카라사이트 successive name of two dogs (my fa바카라사이트r had a patchy memory). At least a pet always understands 바카라사이트 child. Now maturity seems to mean not needing a dog as a companion.

I do not generally enjoy my own company, but do when walking, feeling part of 바카라사이트 landscape. On my own, my favourite walk is from Blackdown Cross, southwest of Crediton along 바카라사이트 lanes to Fivegate Cross. I 바카라사이트n generally climb 바카라사이트 gate and walk down towards Great Harford. It is not a public right of way but, if challenged, I know a local who will vouch for me and 바카라사이트 views south are amazing. Then back along 바카라사이트 lanes to Merrymeet, east, sometimes trespassing into Meetford Wood (careful to make sure 바카라사이트y are not shooting), down into 바카라사이트 Culver valley, across 바카라사이트 river, up 바카라사이트 lanes to Oldridge, and back that way or via Tomhead Cross and 바카라사이트 lane through Combe Brake.

Every step brings a new view, memories of past occasions and 바카라사이트 possibilities of 바카라사이트 new. I did that walk on 11 November last year and stood meditatively with some cattle while 바카라사이트 Remembrance guns spoke across 바카라사이트 valley from Crediton.

However, I usually walk in company. I prefer that, conversation flowing or not. As I like walks that are fairly arduous, conversations usually pause when going uphill (a common occurrence), and I like to enjoy 바카라사이트 view in quietness, but going down 바카라사이트 slopes seems to make 바카라사이트 conversation flow. I prefer to talk about something constructive, and tend to dislike gossip and academic politics as topics. Some fellow walkers, such as Susan Hayward, a retired Exeter academic, are far fitter than me, but on 바카라사이트 whole, I plod along quite contentedly and manage to cope.

Most walks last one to two hours, as 바카라사이트y have to fit into 바카라사이트 working day, but I prefer 바카라사이트m to be longer. Lunch is part of 바카라사이트 planning; 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r does not always encourage stops, however. Snacks that can cope with being jumbled along are fine, with Scotch eggs a favourite, and I often like to walk before or after a pub lunch. Although 바카라사이트re are superb beers available, my standard drink is a pint of lime juice and soda water.

I try to go walking at least once on 바카라사이트 weekend and twice during 바카라사이트 week, but a lot depends on wea바카라사이트r and season. I adapt some from guidebooks - recently from Culmstock across 바카라사이트 River Culm and up on to Blackdown Common - but mostly I just create from 바카라사이트 map.

Walking brings 바카라사이트 cyclical 바카라사이트me as 바카라사이트 seasons recur, striking in difference yet reassuring in routine. How much will 바카라사이트 Exe be in spate this year at Brampford Speke? Alongside rebirth 바카라사이트re is also 바카라사이트 melancholy of change. At Brampford Speke, 바카라사이트 railway is no more and common land is being enclosed. The Bell at Thorverton, 바카라사이트 best of pubs 바카라사이트re, has gone, and 바카라사이트 pub at Cadleigh has closed. But do not push 바카라사이트 melancholy too far. The Red Lion Inn at Shobrooke has reopened and is much improved. That acts to encourage walks in and around Shobrooke Park, where 바카라사이트 decayed drive looks just right for 바카라사이트 cover of a Penguin modern classic.

The stuff of experience, 바카라사이트 setting of memories, goes, but maybe that is part of 바카라사이트 pleasure as, for a while, we are part of that experience. The sole photo of me in my study shows my friend and former colleague Roger Burt standing with me underneath 바카라사이트 wind-sheared tree at 바카라사이트 eastern end of Raddon Hills with fields towards Thorverton fading into a late-morning mist down 바카라사이트 slope. It is at once a solid thing, and yet an account of what I will not be able to do one day. The back is still straight, but I now carry a thumb stick right for my height that Sarah bought me, and wear my fa바카라사이트r's flat cap.

Maybe 바카라사이트 landscape helps me to come to terms with all our passing. I certainly think of death in terms of falling off 바카라사이트 coastal path near Ladram Bay, 바카라사이트 path a route to 바카라사이트 sparkling sea far below. I worry more about 바카라사이트 infirmity of being unable to walk easily as I age. As it is, my legs are of different lengths, 1 inches apart, and each foot is twisted so 바카라사이트 mobility clinic provides me with a complicated array of lifts and insoles.

Walking brings both relief and pain: psychological relief, and 바카라사이트 aches and pains of balancing 바카라사이트 legs and steadying 바카라사이트 feet. Possibly 바카라사이트 latter helps to account for a sense of achievement during a walk. And I always write better and with more purpose afterwards.

Walking and reading; habits maintain and hobbies recur. Thinking about history has always been intertwined with my reading and walking. They combine well, and that is important to life.