踏上城市之巅

Wow! What ecstatic reward for my venture outdoors on this chilly day. I started off on a fairly level paved suburban pathway following from my memory of a bus journey towards Blackford way. It was nearer than I anticipated and certainly much quicker on my feet than on bus as within 30 minutes of slow walking, I saw the gated children’s play area on the other side of the road. I walked along the picturesque duck / swan pond and inquired from other returning walkers whether the gate gets shut, but I was assured that it is not with the exception of the Observatory. I enjoyed the calm Liberty of the ducks & swans gliding gracefully in their natural habitat, while others relaxed on a designated island sanctuary; beautiful sight. There were isolated walkers, a few with their exuberant but well behaved canine pets, some hardy trail runners and seasoned hikers as I ventured further up the steep slope of the hill, where the cold wind almost knocked my breath out of me. I felt a rush of excited adrenaline hit me as my eyes feasted on the view from atop the hill; majestically sexy! Humbling & awesome! I just stood there soaking up the wonder out scene in dazed wonder. At the observatory and visitor centre, there were a few cars and scattered dog walkers, and a road network leading into the houses below and into the main road. I avoided taking the road as there didn’t seem to be much room for pedestrian and went back up past the observatory and headed downhill. There are other routes up the hill that I will explore on my next visit.