By: Blonde Two
On New Year’s Eve, Aunty Starfire had a tumble. Which is a bit odd because it was on New Year’s Eve that I started writing this blog post about how invincible she appeared to be.
She is an amazing aunty (I have been privileged to have had several of these). An adventurer to the core, she puts me to shame with her walking ability, her love of camping and her knowledge of the outdoors. We (myself, my sister and Aunty Starfire) went for a walk on the Malvern Hills last week (odd because we both live in Devon), and I am fairly convinced that I was ready for a return to the car before either of the others.
It was a beautiful walk, a slightly cloudy day; but one of those on which you can see Wales and the blunt edge of Hay Bluff from the Malverns.
I have a feeling that Aunty Starfire would have walked across to Hay Bluff if we had suggested it. Ever since my childhood (during which Aunty Starfire took me horse riding and walking) she has been accompanied by a series of faithful hounds of mixed extraction. The latest chap is called Broughy and pictured below (not on the bench). Broughy obviously approved of the Malverns and demonstrated considerably better navigation skills than us when it was time to return to the car park.
One of the highlights of the walk was a patch of birches closely followed by a stand of larches. Such a treat and a lovely reminder of my trip to Scotland in June. I hope that the larches escape any disease up there on their Malvern perch.
I have walked that ridge (with Hay Bluff at the northern end) from Hay-on-Wye to Pandy twice: south to north on my LEJOG walk and the other direction on my circuit of the Welsh boundary – it is one of the best ridge walks in the UK. If brother RR is reading this he will remember our rendezvous at the Pandy end on my first traverse where he collected me for an overnight and dropped me off again next morning.
Aunty Starfire sounds like what I call “a proper person”. I hope her stumble wasn’t serious.
I like the sound of that ridge, have done small sections of it … maybe a Blonde Mission!
Thanking you very kindly, one nd all, am reduced to one wing at present but still walking – never was a flyer. I,ve never done that walk, Conrad, but it sounds great. Loved being on the Malverns again – trained there for the Pennine Way many (MANY!) years ago. Broughy is very impressed with having his portrait in the 2 Blondes Blog! What an honour! Happy and somewhat belated New Year one and all fom Ancient Aunt.
We must walk on the Malverns again soon, well soon as you are mended anyway!
Yes please!