Back out at last - to Kedleston

After yet another period of enforced quiet I've been starting to re-build my energy with short walks around home, and on Thursday dared to go out somewhere for a 'proper' walk. Proper in this case doesn't mean 10 miles (ha! as if) or even 5, but maybe a mile in total around the gardens and beside the lake at Kedleston.

Kedleston has become my favoured place for recovery walks - after my slip on the stairs, after Covid  - so it seemed a logical place to start. It's not far from home, I know the terrain, the park and gardens split nicely into small walks, and I know how much energy I'll need for each section.

I started, and expected to finish, with a stroll round the Pleasure Grounds. The wildflower beds which I loved have been replaced now with perennials, which are just getting established, so the beds look a little bare. Hopefully next year they'll be much fuller.

There are colourful hydrangeas though, and a late-flowering wisteria

After a short rest, I decided I'd try to walk back down the drive to the bridge - this is an easy option because if the worst comes to the worst my husband can meet me halfway back with the car :)

As it was, I felt energetic and decided to continue, to walk across the parkland to the boat house. Grass is tricky stuff when your legs feel weak, and any slight unevenness can twist an ankle, but it wasn't too bad.

 I even carried on a little further to the weir, where there's a convenient seat to rest a while. 

I'd expected a morning of intermittent showers but the sky was beginning to clear, and the sun shine. It still wasn't quite as hot as the sheep thought though.

I sat for a few minutes, watching the geese flying, swans swimming, and the cows grazing on the other side of the water, then ambled slowly back.

It was harder this way - slightly uphill and being able to see how far I needed to walk - but I made it back to the car. Now slowly but surely I need to build up strength and stamina.