Cold Blasts
Entry posted by caldrail
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I had intended to go on a hike yesterday but the unsettled weather put me off. Today however was due to be sunshine and showers, and after looking at the weather map on tv I decided to risk a venture into the countryside. So this morning I was up early and all packed. My intention was to climb to the top of Liddington Hill, the highest spot in Wiltshire and not too far away, although the route I planned to go by meant following the road south then doubling back up the escarpment, a fair distance to walk with a weight on your back.
Trudging through the mud is a very tiring experience. So I decided not to go the long way, and instead followed the country road east from Chiseldon and clambering up the grassy hillsides. It's been a long time since I've been up there, and since I hadn't arrived via the Ridgeway as I usually would, I discovered to my suprise and delight that their were ditches and ramparts guarding the slightly less torturous inclines of the plateau behind the hillfort.
As for the weather I encountered no showers at all. Cloudy, some sunny spells, and a chill breeze. That all changed when I got to the top of Liddington Hill. Up there the wind was fiercely cold and unrelenting. Ye gods you'd need to be tough to live up there during winter. No wonder the hillfort was abandoned more than once.
The view of course is brilliant. You can see over the plain to the north, and into both valleys tracing southward either side. A light aeroplane flew past me, climbing through cloud and revealing just how low the cloud was above my head. It was nice to get up there again - but a whole lot nicer back down again!
How Not To Pat Dogs
The lady had been trying to call her dog for a while. Trouble is, a dog's nose is so much more an effective sensory device than our own it's hard to realise what vistas of information they uncover as they sniff the urine left by the previous canine visitor. Eventually the dog obeyed. This bulky muscular dog then spotted me returning to Swindon on the footpath and decided to investigate.
Hello Dog. How are you? Let me just pet you.. Woah!... For a moment I thought the animal was going to bite. The dog thought I was going to slap him. So we sort of both backed off. "He's quite harmless" The woman said. Yeah, I know, they always are at home when everythings normal. Still, the dog showed some initiative and began a game of Can I Get Close Without Him Stopping Me?.
Uhhh... Lady?... I'm getting bored of this game. Could you call your dog?...
Youngsters
The Neighbours have rediscovered the delights of loud music. I think young people should be banned. Just ban them. All of them. The world would be a better place.
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