Mindfully Bertie… An Update
Update
Wild Violet.
Mindfully Bertie started in August 2016 with “Dream Island“. August 2021 will see us back there for a week if restrictions permit. When the first Covid-19 lockdown started, it soon became obvious that we and our readers would have time on our hands.
So, we started a midweek, additional, shorter story. Tim, our Technical Director, might well question “shorter”. The pandemic appears to be losing its grip. It’s early days, but “normal life” is gradually returning.
For Mindfully Bertie, it is time to revert to our original concept. The bereavement therapy element is still there, but we have moved onto a kaleidoscope of ideas.
The stories will always end with Lighting a Candle for Diddley in memory of that lovely lady. For those who never knew her there is a tribute here. But the midweek story is now discontinued. Thank you for your support in that.
It’s also appropriate to recognise how well received our Covid-19 series of walks has been. Ten in all, the last was the secret snowdrops of Abinger. But the description has run its course.
The pandemic moves on and we are now delighted to introduce a new short season of walks entitled “The Tillingbourne Trails”. Based on a Lottery funded initiative by the Surrey Hills Society. We will walk each trail and then share it with you. The first, including St Martha’s Church high on the North Downs Way, just last week.
St Martha’s, Chilworth.
We will, of course, continue to feature walks away from Surrey. An idea that comes to mind is to collate all the walks ever featured in Mindfully Bertie into an electronic book accessible from each posting. That’s an idea for our Technical Director Tim to ponder over!
The view from St Martha’s graveyard towards Hindhead.
Who will ever forget 2020! From a countryside point of view it was a celebration and a nightmare in equal measure. People facing restricted lifestyles suddenly discovered, or rediscovered, what a beautiful country they lived in. That’s wonderful. Particularly for children.
Unfortunately, some had no idea how to respect the privilege they suddenly became entitled to. Forgot that some of us live in that countryside and enjoy sharing it with all comers. But PLEASE take your litter home.
Open countryside does not have litter bins. If you can bring it you can just as easily take it back home. It became such a problem that the government reissued the countryside code and here it is.
The full text of the code is accessible here.
Mindfully Bertie is not a walking blog, but it does enjoy sharing walks with you now and again. So let’s celebrate this beautiful country and look after it for those who live here and future generations to learn to treasure it.
PS
I have had reassurance from Surrey County Council that they will be doing the same as last year. The May cut will only be sight-lines and safety.
So once again we have Saved the Moondaisies.
Lighting a Candle for Diddley
- What is this life if, full of care,
- We have no time to stand and stare.
- No time to stand beneath the boughs
- And stare as long as sheep or cows.
- No time to see, when woods we pass,
- Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
- No time to see, in broad daylight,
- Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
- No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
- And watch her feet, how they can dance.
- No time to wait till her mouth can
- Enrich that smile her eyes began.
- A poor life this if, full of care,
- We have no time to stand and stare.
William Henry Davies
——
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