The Importance of a Country Walk

There are some beautiful walks  to enjoy right on our doorstep at Thyme. Walking along the valley to the picturesque East Leach is a glorious starting point where you can take footpaths that lead you along the low road by the river or the high road with lovely views across the valley. If you are feeling energetic, continue to follow the pristine limestone river upstream through its glorious valley steeped in history and beauty. The ancient Roman road, Akerman Street is clearly visible, follow this and you will be treading in the footprints of those that made history on the outposts of the Roman Empire.  This romantic landscape with its flocks of grazing sheep along the steep Cotswold escarpment is a scene that has not changed for millennia.

In winter, the views are softened by early morning mists and sparkling white frosts with muted grey greens and  stark silhouettes of the leafless woodland trees dominating the  landscape.
It is easy to think that at this time of year, in the deep mid winter, not much is happening in nature but if you look closely there are so many small things that tell us that spring is on its way.

The hazel catkins are one such thing, a soft mustardy yellow, they are the first  flowers of the hedgerow hazel and are male. If you look very closely you will see adjacent to them the tiniest little red flowers and these are the female flowers that once pollinated will give us cob or hazelnut in the early autumn.

So borrow some wellies and take a brisk walk in the winter sunlight, it’s really uplifting for body, mind and soul and make sure you stop on the way to notice some of the small things that tell stories in the small details.

It is said that the wild hops that scramble through the hedgerows were brought here by the Romans, their seeds strewn by the wayside as they marched.  The Romans ate the tender new green hop shoots as a vegetable  in spring time; called bruscandoli in Italian they are a Roman delicacy considered to be even more delicious than asparagus and although not here quite yet, as the days lengthen and the sunshine warms the cold earth, they will be on their way very soon.