Hiking

Thursday Thoughts – From Totti

/ Leya / 34 kommentarer

So, I think it is time for me to take you on a guided tour …a typical day in the forest – for Me! Here we go…

…and if it is not, we will go for a walk anyway!
Scouting first!
This is one of my favourite sports…
…Don’t you agree – it is great fun!
A roll in the heather afterwards – always the little ”extra”! Can you see me?

Mmm, so what do you think? I doubt it that you are having just as much fun when you are out hiking! But I hope you enjoyed my little tour! OK, the shower next…

Time For Colours

/ Leya / 19 kommentarer

This time of the year can be absolutely stunning in colours and fresh air- and this year it really was. Even if the wether has not been the best possible, my walks and hikings have truly lifted my spirits.

So, I too, will do some posts on Autumn Colours. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did posting them.

In a previous post I started off in the little village Vittsjö, here in Skåne. This old stone bridge is to be found there as well. Every year I take some photos of it, usually on my way home from work…But, as I do not work now, I do not drive along these roads anymore. Suddenly I felt the urge to see the Vittsjö autumn clothes this year too.

I stopped several times on the road further west, towards the coast. How long would the weather be with me? The promise was for the whole day…

Through the forest and westwards there is a very meandering little road that I love to drive. Maybe not in the winter months though…

If you follow my blog, you know how much I love trees and country roads and paths with grass in the middle. Totti agrees with me in this! We walked this road for half an hour – without reaching the end of it.

Even though I love the smell of newly cut wood, I feel sorry for the fallen trees. On the other hand, we still use much wood when building houses in Sweden – and who does not want a really beautiful floor?

As the evening light was upon us, I turned back and drove homewards. Still some favourite catches though – this stony meadow with its fallen trees and warm and cold colours in a mix.

A drizzling mist was making it even darker, but a stone fence is always a stone fence. I always think of all the hard work behind it. So many hours of heavy and tough gathering first and then also the elaborate work to put the stones together in a sustainable construction. If you tear down a stone fence in Sweden, you will have to rebuild it again. And pay for it yourself.

 

WPC: Quest

/ Leya / 24 kommentarer
Cheri Lucas Rowlands encourages us to show a picture of Quest. An almost impossible task…When I think of this word, Quest, I think of all my teaching years in literature and all the glorious quests portrayed there:

 

The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian story, The Odyssey by Homer, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Alchemist  by Paulo Coelho and of course The Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling.

In these stories, the protagonists set out to almost impossible tasks, leaving home and safety plunging  into the unknown. So, where am I, a 21st century, middle aged woman, in all this? What is my Quest?

I guess in my little world there are no big ”saving the world”- quests – maybe saving myself quests only. I am constantly searching for and heading towards Inner Peace, being kind and compassionate along the road. I find peace in Nature and through doing good things, helping other fellow passengers on this route.

Hopefully, one day, I will be standing there, feeling that my quest is completed. I will be  completely calm and at peace with myself and the world.

 

 

 

 

 

Hiking Festival at Hovdala

/ Leya / 8 kommentarer

Hiking festival at Hovdala  – a part of Eurorando, Europe’s biggest hiking and walking event. There were many groups and trails to choose from. I joined the photography group.

And what a day we had. In the middle of September – and 25 degrees Celsius…A bit too warm for hiking really, but an ordinary autumn, the alternative would have been rain.

We were 15 in our group
the trail was 9 kilometres…
…through woodlands and open fields
We met some riders and horses as well
And cows of course
Our photographic leader handed out many tips and tricks

 

Between 5000 and 7000 hikers from all of Europe travel to Skåne during 7 days to walk the Scanian trails, socialize and explore the Swedish nature, culture and society.

The landscape showed its best and so did the weather. After the walk we were all served a delicious vegan chili soup with bread. Thank you all participants for a glorious day well spent!

El Camino – maybe some day…

/ Leya / 20 kommentarer

Have you ever thought about walking the 1000 year old pilgrim paths, eighthundred + kilometres, from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain?

I am thinking about it, right now…

Camino Frances Map, Camino del Norte Map, Via de la Plata Map. Camino de Santiago Maps.

This summer we met many pilgrims on our Spanish journey, and what we learned from them, was peace of mind and reflecting thoughts of life… What am I doing here and where am I going – and Why? Pain of course…but as we happened to meet so many different pilgrims, we realized how many different reasons there are for their pilgrimage and the ultimate joy and satisfaction when arriving in Santiago. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walk one of these routes every year, and in a couple of posts I will try to convey something of what we learned about why they choose to go through this 800 – kilometre ordeal.

On our way to Astorga and the great cathedral, we stayed at this pilgrim albergue – our first one. At the entrance we were welcomed by Evilio, and immediately he set the mood: Contemplative and calm – Total Harmony.

Already the paw here told me something…
The stairs to our room…
…simple and clean
I loved the window sill – massive stone
Arya was only 14 months, but they were a radar pair, she and Evilio

Every morning we were awakened by the sound of the pilgims’ sticks. The earlier you are up, the earlier you will be at your goal for the day. First to the albergue gets a bed.

The Camino was just outside our window. And every evening there were new pilgrims lodging – and hopefully telling their story. Some did not want to talk much though. According to the old tradition, you should not talk during your journey. You should stay concentrated on your inner qualities.

Late in the evening, these two friends would come walking after a tour on the Camino. The yellow stone is the mark.

Keep your window open…

The Winner Takes It All – Song of Roland

/ Leya / 31 kommentarer

”I am watching your every step…”

Towards Pas de Rolande, where Charlemagne’s army was ambushed after the sacking of Pamplona – celebrated in the medieval poem, Song of Roland.

Along the road we met a herd of, what we believe was, Iberian wild goats. The gamey smell filled the air, and soon we saw them climbing the stony slopes up on our right side as well.

As they were rather close to the road, about 5-10 metres up, we could study them roaming the bushes, popping up a head every now and then.

We reached the rock formation in the gorge. According to legend, the gap once was created by Roland’s horse.

On my way back, alone, (my husband went back before me) the strong smell from the goats appeared again. And, I was lucky to witness this piece of wild life -love life!

The chase…
and…the mating
The fight when his foe challenges him
The loser turns back…
Then posing alone on the rock

”Well, I have seen it before…and in my  younger days I would…

…win all of those fights…”

Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: In the Distance

/ Leya / 18 kommentarer

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: In the Distance

Again, thank you for featuring my last entry, Cee!

The Moroccan desert for this week – In the Distance. Early morning in the header, and late evening inside. As usual, click to enlarge (sometimes click twice…).

WPC: Opposites

/ Leya / 17 kommentarer

 

Opposites…often go well together. For WPC I have chosen the Moroccan desert. Many opposites to be found here. In the header the classic desert/oasis, But, in the second one maybe more subtleties…

More entries here.

 

CFFC: Events – Wild Flowers’ Day

/ Leya / 13 kommentarer

In the header – The caterpillars of the Peacock butterfly sitting on the upper parts, and, the undersides of leaves of a nettle plant.

Today is the Nordic event of Wild Flowers’ Day. Originating in Denmark, the purpose is to give people the possibility of finding, learning about and enjoying the diversity of wild plants in nature, in order to have an even more intense experience when spending time outdoors.

Det samnordiska evenemanget ”De vilda blommornas dag” har sina rötter i Danmark, där det har arrangerats ända sedan år 1988. Syftet med de vilda blommornas dag är att människor skall få möjlighet att upptäcka, lära känna och glädjas åt den mångfald av vilda växter, som vår natur bjuder på, och på så sätt få en rikare naturupplevelse.

 

This event started at 10 a.m and the flower walk, arranged by local botanists, lasted for three hours. I’ll be happy to bring you along! For more events, click here.