Lucky! Nostalgic revisit to my old walking country. Bradford Dale in the Peak District last Monday, the day before the Ageing Better Celebration Conference in Sheffield.
The Derbyshire limestone Dales are lush green and deep in July. Clear streams lined with meadow sweet flowers and full of forget me nots. And sun to sparkle on the many little waterfalls created by dams like this.
The Dales have trails. We were walking on the ‘Limestone Way that crosses the river on this beautiful stone packhorse bridge.
Curiosity had to stop and have a close look at those flowers. Interesting that they had no insects on them.
In my childhood they were usually covered with crawling humming things.
Another older couple were coming down the trail. Marked them because, like us, they were holding hands too. We chatted as you do in the North. They had been listening to the birdsong they said. And then they too remarked on the lack of insects.
Makes you realise the importance of that long view of you have acquired as you age doesnt it? We all remembered these paths with a hum of insects and having to pick a fern leaf to keep off the flies! Today? None.
Asked them to take our picture. May be OK for the Positive ageing picture library? Not too sure…
Told them about it and cheekily asked their ages. They were happy to say.
Early 70s. Looking fit happy and obviously like us enjoying the chance to walk in a National Park in peace on a Monday. One of the pleasures of old age! So asked if they would mind being photographed. He was immediately Ok. She wouldn’t be persuaded.
Her sad comment was “I am too old. I am wrinkled”
Isnt that wicked? A happy attractive smiling woman with twinkling eyes and a clearly loving partner is ashamed of her age? What have we as a society done?
Definitely time to change! #AgeProud is an absolutely necessary campaign.
After that cheekily asked asked everyone on the path how old they were!
All but one of the 8 pairs of walkers we met on a Monday walk in the Peak District were over 65!
Must of us used walking sticks. But one walker had a splendid one. Look at this super rams horn handle!
Being in a limestone dale is fun. You find fossils.
Sort of puts life into perspective doesnt it, seeing things that lived so many thousands of years ago, but their atoms still here?
And there are always ducklings…the new life maturing.