right on your doorstep

Isn't it great when you discover something right on your doorstep.

I had been wanting to explore a certain walking path further up our hill but hadn't because it wasn't Eden friendly - supposedly. But a few days ago I thought "what the heck - it's a beautiful day" so I heaved the buggy over the style of the farm fence (with Eden in it!) and off we went. The path was a little bumpy but fine (and so it should be when using a mountain buggy) and we only ventured for a quarter of an hour or so, but the views of the city and harbour below were magnificent.

I managed to persuade Duncan to come with us on Good Friday afternoon and we ventured for an hour or two. We sat in the sunny quiet and ate our home made hot cross buns and shared binoculars to spy on feral goats and fleeting birdlife. Idilic really except for the gorse and occasional pylon!

I am always amused at people's reactions to our street. Everything from "well you must cop the wind up here!" (yes we totally do!) to "Ooh it's lovely up here isn't it?" Being the 'glass is half empty' one in our relationship, known to joke about living in 'hardyplank heaven' I'm always more surprised at the second of these responses but I'm actually having a change of heart.

We may live at the top of a very steep hill and you can't just walk 10 minutes to the town centre like I could in Wimbledon, but for a tiny bit more sweat, we have a glorious picnic spot with million dollar views a hop, skip and a jump up the road. If only we had discovered this in the summer! Grandma and Grandpa Babbage in particular would have loved it! Oh well, there's still a little of Autumn left and with the weather as it has been this weekend...