I walk with a Substitute today!!!

So I had to call in a substitute for Rachel when it came to walking today - she wasn't available so I had to take John with me instead - his conversation is somewhat different to that of the girlies!!!!  I had plotted a new route from Kritou Terra to Terra and back and round but Narky Nora had given me a track which appeared to cross a river but when we got to that point it was so overgrown we couldn't continue although John is keen to go back with clippers to see if we can open it up.  We had another track which took us across a field and then another which we couldn't find at all - it wasn't a problem as I can read a map so had alternatives up my sleeve so we could complete our exercise within our allotted time.  We loved it and we didn't argue - RESULT!!!

Although I had been through Terra with Nicky earlier in the week and thought we were retracing our steps we obviously didn't as we suddenly turned a corner to this amazing and magical view - wow and I mean wow what a beautiful place to sit and take in your surroundings.  I am in love with Terra and the interesting and diverse buildings and dwellings.

This is the approach to the first track, which was the one that led to nowhere - well not exactly nowhere we just couldn't push through but beyond that building we descended into a wooded dell which was beautiful and lush and cool but sadly impassable at the moment.  We could see where we wanted to be - so near but yet so far.

I replotted out route which caused Narky Nora to go into a flat spin - but our alternative took us through some beautiful countryside and then onto a track which led us across a field and down into a valley where we had to cross a river - fortunately there was a strategically placed stone so that I didn't have to get my boots wet!!

I took some video here (posted below) and as a result Narky Nora went to sleep at this point and for that reason we continued walking on the road when we should have turned right and found a track which took us cross country - will have to leave that for the next time but the views from the road were stunning so we didn't really mind.

Having missed that track our walk was shortened so as we came back up the main road to Kritou Terra we added in a loop turning right and coming up a hill passed an amazingly bonkers house (or pair of houses) on the left hand side where the owner was in love with stone so if it could be clad it was.  The plot or plots covered a massive area with an ecclectic mix of garden ornaments including a random lampshade, plaster cast of one of the 7 dwarves and a life sized eskimo doll sitting in a chair!!!

Our reward for the last minute detour is that you return to Kritou Terra on a beautiful rural path which takes you along a ridge with spectacular views and and bit of downhill at the end when we usually have to finish on uphill.    I have to say it was a fabulous way to spend 3 hours in beautiful sunshine!!!