By: Blonde Two
If the world of people is really split up Aesop style then I am definitely a Tortoise. When I was a girl, I dreaded the summer school term because it meant athletics. Athletics to me meant whole afternoons at a time coming in last to races and refusing to jump over things while the teachers yelled “It’s easy for you, you’ve got long legs”.
I have got long legs but for some strange DNA related reason, these have not made me fast. I spent quite a lot of time during our walk yesterday wondering why. Up hill is easy to explain – I just need to get fitter, downhill, my knees hurt, but on the flat, I can’t work out what it is. I can walk for days and days at a steady pace but I don’t do it quickly. A couple of months ago, someone told me to slow down because they couldn’t keep up with me (we were walking up a hill) – I was shocked – it had never happened before – I don’t imagine that it will again for a long time.
So yesterday as we were struggling up some rather challenging, snowy slopes, I was pondering the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. I have no problem relating myself to good old Tortoise in this story, he is steady and thoughtful and always gets there in the end. Aesop’s telling all works well until you get to the very end of the story – the bit where Tortoise gets in first. The thing is, I never do – the Hares run and sometimes faff around but I am always there at the back, bringing up the rear, last onto the minibus.
I have kind of got used to it now and accepted that knowing who is at the back can be useful. It gives anyone else who is struggling a bit of encouragement and you can always tell the good kids because they are the ones who stop to check if you are alright. I once had the lovely experience of following a group of youngsters down off the North Moor as it got dark – they knew what they were doing and I sent them on ahead but just past each navigation point, they stopped until they had checked that I was following the right way. It was beautifully done and very subtle – I was quite moved by their thoughtfulness.
Aesop wrote other stories about Tortoise, one with Ducks and one with an Eagle. In both of those, the Tortoise got ideas above his station, tried to fly and came to a sticky end. So even though it might make me cross with myself at times (it certainly did yesterday), the moral of this story is that if you are a Tortoise – be a Tortoise – who wants giant back feet and big lollopy ears anyway?
Nothing wrong with being the “plodder”!!! I (just about) remember when I was 17 and with a group in Snowdonia. The minging claggy day came, so this must’ve meant it was the day for climbing Snowdon!!! Me and a couple of friends wanted to show off our physical greatness and shot off up the Pyg Track leaving everyone else behind in the gloom. They caught up with us when we had to stop because our knees were hurting and we were “knackered” already!!! Our group leader told us he wasn’t suprised at the pace we set off at and advised us to slow down and plod with the rest of the group. Fortunately we took his advise and found the rest of the walk very pleasant and now half so painful!!! I have forever more, followed his advise, despite the competitive side of me always wants to be faster than the rest!
In Ocotber 2011, we went to the Lakes. The girls were 8 and 10 at the time and both pretty good walkers especially with a challenge to accomplish. This time Scafell Pike. We set off early, just as the sun had come up and were pretty much the only people around heading up to Stockley Bridge. We stopped at Sty Head Tarn for a bit of flap jack and a drink and people started to catch up with us. We opted for the corridor route up to the summit and about half way up you come to a little tricky part. I remember looking back down the route and seeing a large group of blue coats heading towards us. I was convinced they were trying to catch up with us and eventually they did – a big group of sweaty middle aged men. I could almost feel there “ha look at us stomping up here mega fast while you plod along” as the went past. Another few hundred metres up the path they had stopped and were obvioulsy confused by the junction in the paths – they had to ask us for advise on where to go. We told them which way we were going, so they chose to go the otheer way – me being me thinking they thought this way they could beat us!!!! We carried on plodding up our route and eventually made it to the freezing but beautifully clear summit of Scafell Pike. No sign of the group of men, so assumed they’d been there before us. We did all the necessary summit photos and took in the view before heading to a sheltered spot for some lunch. Oh my joy as the group of “even more” sweaty men arrived puffing and panting like they’d run a marathon. One thing I had noted was that although they walked fast, they very quickly ran out of breath and had to keep stopping to regain their breath!!!!
So nowt wrong with being a tortoise or a plodder.
Polé Polé is the saying in Tanzania and repeated on the ascent of Kilimanjaro – Slowly Slowly!
You’re going to think I’m making this up but it’s true. My favourite animal … tortoise!
I am a tortoise that’s for sure and I was encouraged to know that someone else who walks regularly is prepared to admit it! Nothing wrong with that at all!
E.g over the holidays I went up one ot the mountains in the Ogwen Valley in Snowdonia not far from my home in Bethesda for an early morning walk on one of the paths that is easy to follow in the dark.
I was suprised when someone else drove in quite quickly to the car park to do the same route! Head torch, hat, gloves,rucksack, here the similarity ends!
In truly harelike manner he is off before I can put on my suitable winter hillwalking gear and heads off on his mission.
After walking for 5 mins up the track I suddenly realise I have left my gloves on the boot of the car and have to return to the start. By the time I have finished fathing about I look up the mountain and see the head torch shining in the heights at a point which would take me a good half hour to reach! It was the last time I was to see this walker. He was gone!
When daylight came then further delays as I make the compulsory stop to admire the view and take photographs of the beautiful scenery!
Then after about 2 hours into the walk there is another compulsory stop for breakfast part 2 and a nice cup of tea while I enjoy the view and a couple more photos. This is what I do and I love it!
I don’t so much consider myself as a tortoise, I prefer to think of myself as a VW camper van! Not built for speed but rather to chunter along at a moderate pace which is considered to be slow but nevertheless is totally reliable and is certain to reach it’s destination and could carry on for mile after mile if required without too much complaint. All it needs is a fuel top up now and again and it’s good to go! Also it has everything on board to make the journey a safe, pleasant and comfortable one.
I don’t aim to cover great distances neccesarily but I like to pull into the layby and take notice of the viewpoint as a result of this I probably remember more about my journey than the hare who like the BMW whizzing up the motorway doesn’t have time to stop and smell the roses!
As you say be a tortoise and be proud of it!
A VW camper – I like that. It would have been apt on Saturday as I off-loaded some extra warm clothes and my big flask of tea into the minibus to help me to keep up. Only to find later that I was waiting at the top of a hill needing another jumper and a flask of tea!
The truth is I guess, that we need both types and all of the ones in between!
High on a Lakeland fell I met an old farmer and fell to having a tortoise talk while other keener types charged past. He was thrilled with his achievement – all his life he had worked on the fells, but at last he could stop and look at them and see their true beauty.