These boots are made for walking

Walking on a bronze carpet

The weather is rather mixed up at the moment.  It has snowed in places and over the weekend we were treated to some hefty hail downpours at times.  However, despite all of the dire forecasts, today decided to defy them all and we were presented with the perfect autumn day.  Sunshiny and chilly.  Simply gorgeous so what else was there to do?  We wrapped up, got our boots on and headed out and about.

First stop was the delightful Grove Plantation just across town from us.  It's hard to believe that there was lots of industry in the area at one time.  Mostly mining.  There is just the odd remnant of the pits that used to operate.

Grove Plantation with colourful autumnal leaf carpet

There is a little path with some wood sculptures and poetry on the rails here too.  The girls just had to pose next to the Green Woman.  Can you tell which is which?

It's quite a popular spot and we passed lots of people out for a walk like us.  With and without canine companions, cyclists on the road alongside, people putting seed out for the birds and some people out for a ride who just happened to take the same turnoff as us.

Letting the horses pass

We carried on up the hill and around the farm at the top of the hill.  Just marvelling at the fact that we live so close to some beautiful countryside.  We are pretty lucky to live where we live really.  There are lots of "nicer", or more upmarket, places I am sure, but we are just so well placed to get to anywhere else.  Three National Parks are within 90 mins drive from us, and just a few minutes walking or cycling takes you into a rural setting.  It's great.

After a short walk down the bypass we veered off again into another little wood with a brilliant name.  Fiery Wood.  I love the name of it.  It sounds like a location in a Harry Potter novel or something.  It's a bit more sheltered than Grove Plantation and is not yet as autumnal.  Still lovely though.

Fiery Wood

Other news for the day.  We bought the first lot of coal for this winter and lit the fire.  Oh my we are sooooo toasty now!