Another very short walk - to Elton village

Despite being on a supposedly do-nothing break in a riverside cabin, in the late afternoon we decided to head out on a short walk to the village. Now, I know some people who talk of a short walk as being 5 or 6 miles, but I know my limits (or thought I did) and this was about a mile and a half. Should have been easy... 

Picking up a footpath which ran literally outside our door, we headed over a footbridge and a tricky (for me) stile onto the island created by an ox-bow lake which gave the property we were staying on its name. 

Another, larger, metallic, bridge took us over the river Nene, to join the Nene Valley Way which led us south towards Elton.

It was a pretty amble along the riverside. The sun was shining. The path was flat. All good so far.

It wasn't long before we caught sight of where we were staying on the opposite bank

A bridge took a road over us, and although it would have been possible to return at this point, we continued to follow the path by the river with glimpses of the village ahead of us. I was beginning to wonder if I'd bitten off more than I could manage.

The Nene runs beside Elton, rather than through it, but after strolling beside a quite river, there was suddenly a lot of activity. Another bridge! I like encountering bridges on walks; somehow they make everything seem more of an adventure.

A weir, and a lock to raise and lower boats.

And an old abandoned mill from times when Elton and the river would have been busy and bustling.

I'd been dragging my feet for a while and at this point I realised how much I'd over-exerted myself. 

Fortunately there was a seat by the village green, and I just sat for a while and tried to regain some energy. Approaching from the river we'd seen very little of the village and I would have liked to explore more but there was no way I could. There were also footpaths carrying on in various directions - following the Nene way across the parkland of Elton Hall or heading west across field to Fotheringay and the remains of the castle where Mary Queen of Scots was executed. These would have to be plans for a return visit, as for now it was tiring enough to get back to our cabin. 

Slowly, very slowly, we headed back, looking at flowers in the roadside gardens, watching a red kite circling overhead. Fortunately the distance back was slightly shorter than the 'out' route but two kilometers in all but I was absolutely shattered. Some of this is due to lack of exercise following my fall at New Year; some is post-covid exhaustion. Whatever the cause, I hope I improve soon

 

Not good, but getting better

 I can't quite believe it's April already. Snowdrops have finished flowering. Daffodils have taken over in gardens and parks. Forsythia is blossoming against a (sometimes) blue sky. Tulips and magnolias are getting ready to move us on to the next mood of Spring. Where did the last three months go? Usually when time disappears like this it's because I've been busy but this time I feel like I've idled them away, though really it's been a period of rest, illness, and recuperation.

The year didn't start well with a fall down the stairs on New Year's Day. Nothing serious but my ankles were strained and required rest. Resting unfortunately impacted the rest of my fitness levels so when my ankles felt up to walking, my legs had become unaccustomed to the idea.

But I started small and by the end of February I'd worked my way back towards a reasonable distance (7000 steps). Then I fell foul of Covid. It didn't last long, wasn't severe, but it exhausted me, and I'm still struggling with a range of problems - tiredness and the inability to focus on tasks for long being the worst - and which, added to my general lack of mobility due to my ankle problem, have left me feeling old, overweight, and unfit.

Fortunately my elder daughter sent a link to an NHS website about Covid recovery, which explains that fatigue, low mood, inability to concentrated are all common post-viral symptoms. They should pass. Fingers crossed. And it helps a lot to know that what I'm feeling is normal.

I'm not going to leave it totally to chance though. I've heard so much about the possible long-term effects of Covid but don't feel they're things I can do much about. What I can do is make a commitment to getting fitter (and thinner), so that I face any future problems (or another bout of Covid) in good health. 

It's small steps at first, more about mindfulness and relaxation - feelgood things like a delayed Mother's Day family get-together, getting outside if possible, enjoying a potter round the garden, talking to the seedlings in the greenhouse, taking a short walk to see daffodils, or just noticing the vase of picked flowers currently in front of me as I type - but also trying to increase my daily step count (currently at 3000). April's arrival seems to have marked an upturn in the weather, it's my birthday soon (65!) and I'm hoping the two mark an upturn in my health.