The Adventures of a Cornish Walker

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

A story

Firstly I want to take you back... to something I wrote back in 2013...

Tuesday 1st October 2013

Let me introduce you to Stick!

I have been looking for a 'stick with which to walk' for some time. I had found a lovely one in the local second hand shop - it was too small... but I was keeping my eyes open.

Whilst visiting Hilary in Bedford I mentioned my quest for a stick. "Oh - I have three..." she said "Come and look!" It turned out that Hilary had gone to an auction years ago and 3 sticks had been added to a mixed lot. She used them for collecting apples from the trees and suchlike. Anyway - one in particular felt lovely in my hand as soon as I picked it up. It felt as if it was part of me.Hilary was delighted especially because the auction lot had been bought in Penzance! Stick was going home! It would return to Cornwall... so I now take Stick with me on my walks.

Useful for nettles, steep paths, giving me confidence crossing fields with animals etc

Stick has accompanied me on many walks since then - particularly the tricky ones. Stick came with us on the walk Mary and I did to Treen Cliffs on Feast Monday.

Golf was cancelled on Saturday because the weather was dreadful - strong winds and pouring rain. However, it brightened up later and I thought I'd walk towards Cot valley... but it would be very slippery after the downpour so reached out for Stick... you know what's coming... Stick wasn't there.

I was all kitted out for my walk but climbed in the car and headed back to Treen.

I retraced my steps with great care, scanning from side to side... no sign. I reached the headland where Mary and I sat and took photos and searched again. Nothing.

I clambered around the rocks and searched a short way down the path to Pednvounder but it was slippery and I dared not risk taking the hunt further. I returned to the top and was resigning myself to the thought that someone else needed Stick more than I did.
I turned to retrace my steps back to the car.

On this path, there is a place that I love more than anywhere else in the world. I have written about it before. I decided to stand on this place and ...