Friday 10 October 2014

I am not lost!


A friend showed me this walk last year. It involves walking through fiields and then some circuitous uphill paths through King's Wood. At the top you can see almost to Hereford. My family were reasonably hopeful I'd remember the way though I sensed doubt. Hmm.

Well the first part seems easy enough.


King's wood is directly ahead




I take one last look back before entering.



So far, so good. I sense renewed confidence in my sense of direction.


Hansel and Gretal laid a trail of crumbs. I think the iPone is almost as good



Take a good look. We have to come back this way





Yes. Okay. I'll recognise this again


The summit is almost there, but I'm worried. There were many cross-paths and turn-offs on the way up.
To complicate things, we'll be approaching them from a different direction on a circular route down.






And here we are. I've got us here. Now to find the way back. Our house is a speck just out of picture far right.





Morale is falling. Doubt sets in. My daughter takes a rest while I ponder.






Leadership is called for. Confidence must be restored!





Eureka. I recognise this field. I check my iPhone behind a tree


Definitely the one...I think...



And damn-it I'm relieved.


* Interesting rehearsal out-take when the two were barely speaking. This is a more polished version from the film 'Let it Be' . More polished, less chemistry. I'm rambling, much like the walk through King's Wood.

20 comments:

DRC said...

haha...this sounded like an interesting walk in more ways than one...lol

Misha Gerrick said...

Aah yes. The relief of know that yes, you did find the way back. ;-)

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

I've felt that empty feeling of, oh crap, I'm lost, many times in my hiking.

Anonymous said...

Ever the reconnaissance sergeant, I seldom go into unknown territory without my trusty lensatic compass. Military grade, naturally.

Jeanne Voelker said...

I would worry too because it all looks about the same. There's the wood (but at what point did I exit?) Looking back helps if you have a good visual memory. I would have to put it into words..."I came out by the big snag there".

Jean Michelle Miernik said...

"The iPhone is almost as good." LOL! True story.

Mike Keyton said...

Dawn, it was the best kind of walk - stunning scenery, uncertainty, and family. Oh, and vindication, too. :)

Mike Keyton said...

Misha, this was the kind of relief you can't crow about without revealing how little you knew in the first place :)

Mike Keyton said...

Mac, I've spent most of my life with that feeling.

Mike Keyton said...

A Lensatic compass. Military grade, eh. What's wrong with a wet nose and instinct :) I imagine such an instrument would be great for the most direct route yomping through forest - would it be so great sticking to twisty paths with many alternatives? Great for chainsawing through a maze - but following the paths? Okay, I'm just jealous I don't have a lensatic compass :)

Mike Keyton said...

Jeanne, I reckon we'd be a mutual disaster if we ever walked through wilderness together - either that or good friends :)

Mike Keyton said...

Jeanne, thank you for the graceful pointing out of my iphone error. I suppose I could try and bluff by saying ipone is the 'Welsh' version - but I wont. :)

nikki broadwell said...

I like the pictures and the feeling that one could become lost. There's actually something wonderful about that. Places without houses are always special.

Maria Zannini said...

What would we do without iPhones?

I've gotten in the habit of taking a picture of a landmark when I park in one of those humongous parking lots they open for fairs and special events. At least I'll be in the vicinity of my car.

Mike Keyton said...

Places without houses - you have an awful lot of those in America, Nikki, but you're right, the country's the place to be - with or without iPhone :)

Mike Keyton said...

I've never thought of that, Maria. I do locate landmarks like lamposts and whether the 'lane' to the main building is aligned to the car. I used to make the mistake of trying to remember adjacent cars until I realised they were a bit of a moving target :)

Anonymous said...

There's a gag involving the compass. One need not remember the exact path if one knows the direction. Landmarks are usually sufficient for refining one's navigation. ;)

Mike Keyton said...

Landmarks, Crash? All I had was bloody trees

Mina said...

What a beautiful landscape!

Mike Keyton said...

Thank you Mina. I wish I had your facility with languages so that I could understand more from you posts, but it's always a pleasure hearing from you