Walking with beasties
Oct. 23rd, 2009 10:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stephbgToday's goal was simple: a good long walk, but I had trouble making up my mind where to go. I eventually decided on Lake Monger, but on the way I was uncharacteristically moved to go to the closer Carine bush reserve and recreation ground instead. I don't often do spontenaity on the road, particularly when I don't know quite where I'm going.
I've only been to that park once before, lured by the promise of suburban horses at the riding for the disabled place, and I had only a vague idea how to get there. I caved to internal pressure and pulled over to consult a map (so we all know I've not been replaced by aliens), but I had it mostly right. So, although I entered the complex of carparks at a different angle to last time, I did find the horses and walked the loop around the large paddock. The horses obliged by rolling, snorting and chasing each other, so there was a bit of action. A few years ago I had hoped to volunteer in the stables, but I'm just not reliably well enough to go on a schedule. I should make enquiries to see if they could use me on a casual basis when I'm up for it.
I admit to some anxiety about leaving the car, which has been a problem in the past when I've visited parks outside of normal busy hours. In this case the Catmobile was nearly alone in a carpark next to a skate park. I never leave valuables inside, and I'm hopeful that the internal state of devastation would put off a casual thief, but it's the kind of place where break-ins do occur. I'm a very fussy thing: I hate crowds, but I'm not quite comfortable without a certain minimum number of people about.
The horse paddock walk only took about 10 minutes it seemed, so I followed another track around a larger bit of swamp and bushland. I didn't know its length, only that it must be roundish. I had a hat and water and was there for exercise so off I went, turning left at every fork. There were some nice bits of bush along the way, and part of the track was limestone just rough enough to be interesting, but it was mostly flat. I was sad to see the bush heavily colonised by garden weeds, but the area is the subject of a regeneration program and it was clear in places where the weeds had been cleared and additional natives planted. There'd been quite a big fire through there a couple of years ago.
Didn't see very many birds, but the path was well back from the water's edge, and you can only walk so far with your head turned 90 degrees.
I got quite enough exercise, and the car survived. I'm not particularly excited by concrete footpaths through grassed open parkland, but there was enough of interest in the place to call me back.
I've only been to that park once before, lured by the promise of suburban horses at the riding for the disabled place, and I had only a vague idea how to get there. I caved to internal pressure and pulled over to consult a map (so we all know I've not been replaced by aliens), but I had it mostly right. So, although I entered the complex of carparks at a different angle to last time, I did find the horses and walked the loop around the large paddock. The horses obliged by rolling, snorting and chasing each other, so there was a bit of action. A few years ago I had hoped to volunteer in the stables, but I'm just not reliably well enough to go on a schedule. I should make enquiries to see if they could use me on a casual basis when I'm up for it.
I admit to some anxiety about leaving the car, which has been a problem in the past when I've visited parks outside of normal busy hours. In this case the Catmobile was nearly alone in a carpark next to a skate park. I never leave valuables inside, and I'm hopeful that the internal state of devastation would put off a casual thief, but it's the kind of place where break-ins do occur. I'm a very fussy thing: I hate crowds, but I'm not quite comfortable without a certain minimum number of people about.
The horse paddock walk only took about 10 minutes it seemed, so I followed another track around a larger bit of swamp and bushland. I didn't know its length, only that it must be roundish. I had a hat and water and was there for exercise so off I went, turning left at every fork. There were some nice bits of bush along the way, and part of the track was limestone just rough enough to be interesting, but it was mostly flat. I was sad to see the bush heavily colonised by garden weeds, but the area is the subject of a regeneration program and it was clear in places where the weeds had been cleared and additional natives planted. There'd been quite a big fire through there a couple of years ago.
Didn't see very many birds, but the path was well back from the water's edge, and you can only walk so far with your head turned 90 degrees.
I got quite enough exercise, and the car survived. I'm not particularly excited by concrete footpaths through grassed open parkland, but there was enough of interest in the place to call me back.
