Sunday Walk (Diversion Error)

We set off on our walk this morning. All togged up in walking boots. The dog wagging his tail with excitement.

The path up the mountain was well laid out. We could see a series of wooden bridges criss-crossing the mountain stream up ahead, winding its way up through the woods. The sun was shining. It was looking promising.

After crossing the first bridge, no more than 10 minutes into our walk, we saw a sign pointing off to the left. We stopped in our tracks. Our eyes scoured the bank to try to work out where this new 'alternative' path led. It all looked scraggy and overgrown and waaaay steeper.

I quickly discounted it as a more challenging route for the pros.

C'mon, let's crack on...

I said.

Actually, that route looks quite interesting - shall we give it a go...?

Said the others, already making strides up the first rocky steps of this alternative path.

Uh-oh

Fast-forward 45 (painful) minutes, and we're clutching onto fence posts that line the treacherous 'path' up. Hauling ourselves. Panting and red-faced. Soaking wet feet as we've trudged through swampy boggy mud.

Each section seemed to promise something exciting if we could just get over that next ridge. But no, it just revealed more uphill drudgery!

Finally, we saw the hill levelling out ahead - so we forged on, turned a corner and reached...a dead end!

We could see the original path snaking along gently on the other side of the deep rocky gorge that was now blocking our path. Families wandering along it, enjoying the sunshine. That same path that we originally set out on.

All that was left for us was to make our way back down. Slowly due to the gnarly path.

Still, we felt like we had achieved something as we'd managed to gain some pretty good height and enjoyed some fantastic views.

Moral of the story: Stick to the path and don't get attracted/distracted by alternative 'bright shiny objects' (or paths!)