Category Archives: England

Becoming Obsessed…..

Posted on by

Sidmouth South West Coast Path

The above is a picture of Sidmouth it is where my Mom is from. It was my Grandparents favourite place. It is one of the stops along the South West Coast Path.
I mentioned the path before, 630 miles, it starts in Minehead and ends in Poole. Passing through a lot of my families history.

Wanting to do a trip that would cleanse my brain, restart my ambitions this is the trip I want to do. It would take fifty-two days to complete and since I got the idea in my head I can’t stop thinking about it. I keep making lists for the trip, what to pack, lists of B&B’s I could stay at. Working on a budget, trying to figure out how to take two months off.

I could always do the path in segments over time. Or if I can only do a few weeks I could do the Jurassic Coast portion which includes Sidmouth, perhaps not as ambitious but I think would still get me the clear head I’m looking for. Also it would be much more affordable, fifty two nights in B&B’s starts to add up.

Whether I do all of it or just part it’s an adventure I’m going to do. Perhaps for my birthday next year, two weeks of walking alone connecting to my families history.

In the meantime I need to remember I have other things to accomplish now but it’s so easy to get distracted by a goal that feels so right.

South West Coast Path 2014

Posted on by

South West Coast Path Book

I ordered the guide book after talking about it with my Mom.

The South West Coast Path is 630 miles around the south west coast of England. The standard suggested itinerary would take fifty-two days. The scenery would be spectacular, the experience I can only imagine would be life changing. How I don’t know…. but can you walk 630 miles and not be changed by the experience?

The start is in Minehead and then ou walk from small town to small town, staying in B&Bs or small hotels until you get to Poole. This trip like Iceland it has a pull, not just a “I would like to do that” but a pull that is demanding attention. A feeling that this is something I am suppose to do.

I’m already making up excuses to only do a portion, to cut it short but then a feeling that it’s the whole path that is calling returns. It would be next year that I would like to do it. I would have a year to plan, where, when and how. How do I get two months off work, who looks after my home for two months, how do I afford all my expenses for two months back home and while on the trail.

The more I dabble with the planning, the more I see that it can be done but it will take a leap of faith that everything will work out. I think we all need to take a leap every now and then. Upon my return from Iceland I will start to put my plans down on paper and next year I hope to be heading off for fifty-two days of hiking.

Walking in Sidmouth, Devon

Posted on by

My family is from Sidmouth in Devon, South West England. We were there last summer and there are so many things I love about Sidmouth. For one you can get Devon Cream, it’s cream that is the consistency of butter. SO GOOD! Apparently the recipe came from the Devon Pixies. The Pixies influence a lot things around Devon with their magic, touched by Pixies, explains a lot about my family.

Mostly what I love about Sidmouth is you can leave the house and walk. Walk along the sea wall and get an ice cream. Walk around the town or up Peak Hill. The South West Coast Path runs through Sidmouth there are signs to guide you. Depending on how ambitious you are you can walk for miles and miles (all the way to Beer if you want), through fields, by cows and sheep, gorgeous views at every turn.

A walk up to the Donkey Sanctuary is a great way to see the countryside, they help rescue donkey’s in distress and it is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. My Granddad used to love it there. Who doesn’t love donkeys? They also have amazing strawberry jam at the gift shop. Read more about them here: http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/

But enough of talking here are pictures from the time I spent there last year, it’s a wonderful place and I can’t wait to go back.

Seafront: 

Jacobs Ladder: 

Peak Hill:

Along the way to the Donkey Sanctuary:

Donkeys:

Running in circles, burning journals….

Posted on by

I found a few old journals from about fifteen years ago. It was surprising as I thought I had burned them all in a brilliant idea of getting rid of the past. It didn’t work. I read them all before I burned them. Then they were gone but the past hung around.

What I do remember from reading them was realizing my life went in circles. Same stuff year after year. This wasn’t one or two journals these were journals I had kept from around seventeen to around twenty-eight. What a mess I was, spinning my own wheels. I had plans and yet the to do list remained remarkably similar year after year. Square one over and over and over again.

What was holding me back? Mostly myself. Finding these journals I could finally see a change. I am not the person whining in those journals, my to do list is now different. I am much closer to who I want to be, the to do list in those journals many of the items have been done or are no longer important.

So what changed? First I have let go of a lot of baggage and started looking forward instead of back. I started to not only make a list but also a plan. A list without a plan is just a list. To this day I make lists, I love lists but now I also make a plan.

Okay I want to travel…. Where? When? How much do I need to save? Book it!

What steps to I need to do to get from point A to point B? I no longer tell myself I can’t do something but ask how? What do I need to do? It’s also realizing that many things take time, change doesn’t happen overnight but with a plan you can chart your progress and see the way.

I like making plans. A plan involves more lists, coordinating, organizing and a budget. I love budgets. I’m not the only one. I have a friend and we can talk budgets and savings for hours. Usually while wandering around a stationary store, we love all the folders, pens, notebooks all that organizing potential! Yeah we’re freaks.

So now I don’t know what to do with these journals, maybe burn them but this time I believe the past would go with them. Or keep them to remind myself how far I’ve come. Now I am looking ahead, while recognizing how the past has made me who I am, now that I’ve read them I don’t need them.

I think another burning is in order.