Treasure each moment

On a recent adventure to Carmel, near Monterey, California, I picked up a little hand-painted box in an Opportunity shop. It carries the message: "Treasure each moment". The box currently sits on my desk, empty.

I have decided that both Kathy and I need a "Treasure each moment" box for our virtual Coast to Coast walk. In it we can place tangible items that we collect along the way. I am going to make one for Kathy. (Sh! Don't tell her; it's a surprise)

There is a tradition on the 'Coast to Coast' walk, and this will be one of the first tangible keepsakes to go in our "Treasure each moment" boxes. More will be revealed in time...

The route of our virtual journey

I have always wondered why most people seem to undertake the 'Coast to Coast' walk from west to east.Perhpas this is how it has always been done? Regardless, we too will follow this direction. Our starting point for the virtual walk will be St. Bees, Cumbria, on the North Sea, and our projected end point is Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire.

Route: The route that we will take on our virtual 'Coast to Coast' walk basically follows the one suggested by Wainright (2007). One tour company that runs a guided tour of the route is North West Walks (thanks Dean) and their suggested itinerary can be found at: http://www.northwestwalks.co.uk/coast_to_coast_walk/guidedinfo.html

Map: A good route map of the Coast to Coast walk has been made by another guided tour company on the 'Coast to Coast' route, Alpine Exploratory (thanks Simon), and their map can be found at: http://www.alpineexploratory.com/images/maps/coasttocoast-map.gif

However, Kathy and I will probably also explore many side diversions along the way, and explore many tangents.

Journey

What a fabulous word journey is ... the act of going from one place to another. The old Middle English journei, the idea of one day's travel, is pretty special - how much can one learn, experience, share, delight in and enjoy in one whole day?

One can move and grow in so many ways as a journey is undertaken.

I first dreamt of walking the 'coast to coast' path over twenty years ago. Our children were small, we were living in country Queensland and the whole of idea undertaking this delightful journey was one my husband encouraged me to hold onto, to write it down, not to dismiss it. Amazingly it was only two or three years later we were living in England and we able to happily undertake day walks as a family, but the 'coast to coast' was still elusive.

Since then I have experienced the joy of long-distance footpaths, the one most dear to me is walking by the ancient river, The Thames, starting at it's source in the Cotswolds ... a precious time.

And now at last - the 'coast to coast', a unique journey to be shared with dear Julie! I'm so looking forward to our shared discoveries, wonderful experiences and our stepping-out, journeying together in love and friendship.

Friendship buttons us together

Kathy is a very talented person. She helped me make a sampler that now hangs on my wall which reads "Friendship buttons us together". Whilst we now live in different parts of the state, I am reminded often of the threads that draw us together. True friendship is not reliant upon spending time together in the same place. Rather, true friendship spans time and space. It will always be.

The friendship sampler is also a reminder of the people that we will meet along the path of the journey ahead of us. It welcomes those who are already helping us plan our (virtual) journey and those we are yet to meet.

An invitation for a high adventure

My friend Kathy is a very special person. She is warm and generous...and very talented too. Her greatest gift to me is her unconditonal love, which is returned.

Kathy and I both spent our childhoods in rural towns in New South Wales, Australia. As adults, we both found ourselves living in the same small town in eastern Victoria, and when we met I felt that Kathy was a kindred spirit. We share many passions, and one is going on "high adventure(s)" in the great outdoors. One adventure that we have long talked about sharing is walking the Coast to Coast path in Britain, from St. Bees, Cumbria, in the west, to Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire, in the east. However, for a number of reasons, we have not as yet been able to commence this journey in person. So I am inviting Kathy to join me on a virtual journey.

We will venture forth with "forward face and unreluctant soul(s)", sharing this long-anticipated journey together. We will have many new experiences along the path and meet many wonderful people. There will be good days. There will be times when our path is arduous and we may grow tired. We will share this journey and of one thing I am certain: it won't be boring!

Beginnings

Julie and I are setting out on this special journey together (she will explain a little more about it). The first thing I am packing though is one of my favourite poems, I hope you enjoy it ...

The Zest of Life

Let me but live my life from year to year,
With forward face and unreluctant soul.
Not hastening to, or turning from the goal;
Not mourning for the things that disappear
In the dim past, nor holding back in fear
From what the future veils; but with a whole
And happy heart, that pays its toll
To youth and age, and travels on with cheer.
So let the way wind up the hill or down,
Through rough or smooth, the journey will be joy;
Still seeking what I sought but when a (boy) girl,
New friendship, high adventure, and a crown,
I shall grow old, but never lose life's zest,
Because the road's last turn will be the best.

Henry van Dyke