Comfortable alone

Being in the Lake District again I can’t help but think about Alfred Wainwright and how comfortable he was alone.  I’m the same, whilst I love the company of my friends and family, the buzz of a busy cafe or the crowded seafront promenade on a summer’s day I’m totally comfortable alone.  I think I’ve always been that way, but a decade of travelling the world on my own helped me hone the skills.

It’s a skill I’m very thankful for, it’s given me a spiritual relationship with nature that I don’t think I’d have if I was always with other people and it’s made me more self sufficient. 

Today I spent time alone in Caffe Nero reading, drive to Haweswater in the Lake District alone listening to podcasts and walked around three quarters of the lake, in what can only be described as bliss.  When I got to the Haweswater Hotel I was happy sitting alone reading until Jennie arrived.  Jen is travelling in her own car because she’s only here for 2 1/2 days as she needs to get back to work midweek.

Then I got to enjoy another kind of bliss, time alone with someone I love, time to talk and laugh, time to share the joys of the landscape and wildlife that I love.  Jennie and I are spending 2 days together and it’s a rare treat.

Today could hardly have been any better for me, although thanks to her satnav Jennie managed to end up stuck in mud, down a back road, and needed to be rescued by a helpful farmer, which made for some good laughs.

We are staying at Center Parcs, which is great, although not very friendly to people like Jennie, there are very few disabled parking areas and they are all a very long way away from the accommodation.  Fortunately Jennie is having a good day today and managed a 2 mile walk along the shore of Haweswater so she was able to make it ok.

If you want to see the photo’s from today’s walk you can find them here