A Walk

I went out for a walk this afternoon. I'd been out the other day but I didn't go very far at all on that occasion. This was the first proper walk I'd been out on for weeks. I've got an exercise bike which I use a lot so I don't have to go outside to get exercise. Today I was driven out partly by the good weather and partly by a worry that I might be getting low on vitamin D!

It's been a fine afternoon here. The sky, if not cloudless, has been mostly blue. It seemed to be windless as you walked along but when you stood still you realised there was the faintest suggestion of a breeze. I made for the end of the lane, the border of the village, and headed off across the fields. Through gaps in the walls and hedges I caught a glimpse of a small group of people out walking a dog. I actually met no-one during the course of the walk though. I saw two other people a long way off and once heard a disembodied woman's voice talking. It was too far away for me to make out what she was saying. It was the sort of still day when sound can carry a long distance.

I'd set off quite late and the shadows of the trees were already lengthening across the grass. I had plenty of time before the sun set, though. Wanting to soak up as much vitamin D as I could, I took off my t-shirt. The air was so mild one could do this and still felt perfectly comfortable. I hadn't intended to go very far but the sight of the top of the steep bank only a few fields away was too much to resist. 

Once I reached the top, I spent a few minutes wandering around. I've written before about how lockdown restrictions make you pay more attention to your local surroundings. A small stream runs down the bank at this point and, although I hate to admit it,  I realised I'd no idea where it came from or where it went. Since there's no trace of it further down the hillside I realised it must  disappear underground at some point. I followed it upstream to discover where it started. I didn't have to go far. It emerges from the ground a few yards into the field behind the bank. I then turned and followed it downstream until I came to a point where it disappears among a cluster of stones. There are a few puddles and damp patches of grass after that but then it vanishes altogether. Streams are famous for doing disappearing acts in limestone landscapes. However, whether this one does so because of the geology or as a result of  deliberate land drainage, I've no idea. Perhaps it's a combination of the two. It is shown on the OS map, though - a short, blue line that begins and ends abruptly. I have a feeling I know where it re-emerges but it only occurred to me once I'd got home. I'll give it some thought next time I go out.