Wednesday 8 April 2020

Day 24: The new normality

Parts of Bathurst Park have been closed off; a great pity
as they're looking splendid
How quickly one adapts to new situations. My early anguish at being 'locked down' has largely dissipated and it no longer feels so odd to dispatch my beloved to Tesco while I (deemed a vulnerable 70+ year old) get on with other things.  Truth be told, I have ventured into Lydney Co-op a couple of times and we travelled together to The Smokery in Chaxhill (about 10 miles away) at the end of March to buy fresh fish.

The recent spell of warm weather has not been helpful, though. I long to be climbing the Brecon Beacons or rambling in the Cotswolds but, good, compliant girl that I am, have limited my exercise to walks from home. Thankfully, living between the glorious Forest of Dean and the River Severn, I'm spoiled for choice.  I know Michael Gove has suggested that an hour's exercise is enough, but that's one piece of advice I'm disregarding – not least because I rarely meet anyone on my walks, and if I do then I have the good sense to keep my distance.

The photos in this post were taken on a couple of my regular walks from my home, down to Lydney Harbour – a round trip of about 6 miles. (Sorry, Mr Gove.)



Pidcock's Canal – an interesting relic of the early Industrial
Revolution. I'd like to do a post about it, sometime.

Lydney Harbour, above the lock gates...

... and below them.  Here in Lydney we have real mud!
The River Severn, with Oldbrook Power Station on the skyline and the Severn Bridges just visible to the right.
A definite benefit of all this exercise is that I'm now regularly surpassing my target of 70,000 steps per week – something I've hitherto only achieved on holidays. Here's the data from my FitBit smartwatch...


As you'll see, I'm sticking with my earlier intention to do a longish walk every other day, so as to impart some variety to my week. Nonetheless, I'm rather pleased with the results.


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4 comments:

  1. Lucy Melford9 April 2020 at 01:10

    Really glad you've found ways to make the most of your 'confinement'. Also, I'm relieved to find that someone whose judgement I highly respect thinks it's acceptable to venture ten miles away from home.

    I envy your having both forest and a great river on your doorstep. I make do with (admittedly attractive) farmland. I can see the South Downs - they are close by - but you can't park there, as they have closed the car parks.

    Lucy

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    1. Angie Kay9 April 2020 at 13:05

      If the government don't see fit to impose further restrictions then I feel justified in driving 10 miles once a month to buy fresh fish. I don't venture more than about 1½ miles from home for walks, though, and try to do circular ones, rather than just 'there & back'. The forest is a wonderful asset, of course – so much space and so few people.

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  2. Lucy Melford9 April 2020 at 01:13

    Great pictures, too. Your camera, or the phone? I use my little Leica most of the time now, the phone getting only occasional use as a picture-taking device.

    Lucy

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