THE VALUE OF WALKING

THE VALUE OF WALKING

By Frances Harris



  

I know I’ve been leaning over the computer too much lately, and for far too long, and haven’t stood on the weighing scales in a while. It’s been cold and wet outside and I‘ve got all the excuses for not exercising today, or yesterday, or a week ago and the rest.  I try to eat healthy, but I know when it comes to making popcorn, it’s got to have butter on it, or it’s not real popcorn. My tendency to want to hibernate in winter makes take-away food look real nice.  But if I’m a couple of kilos heavier I know my health conscious son will notice. Which is worse I ask myself, the exercise or the nagging? Time is running out until he catches on. I’d better do something fast! 

So I remembered a beautiful park in Dingly, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. I’ve driven past it a few times and thought; one day I’m going in there to take a look around in there. It’s located on hectares of bushland framed by Springvale Road, Governor Road, Boundary Road and Cheltenham Road. The Entrances are about half way down – either from Boundary Road, or Governor Road. When you go inside the walking tracks stretch out as far as the eye can see. There are kilometres of winding paths and pristine bushland with chortling wild birds, rabbits, echidna, possums, gliders and the list goes on. I took the camera with me, and was so engrossed I ended up going further than I planned. I noted there are rest stops, a few barbecue and restrooms along the way tucked subtly into the landscape. I didn't stop but others may find them useful.



Once I set out along the first path wanted to see more. The paths are soft to walk on, so for anyone who has aches in their body, it’s good. These pictures you see are my experience at Braeside Park.

I find this to be an invigorating sight and wonder what's around the next corner?

This is a good place to take a load off your feet if you need a break on the way back.

What do you do with a dead tree?  You polish it and sculpt it of course!

At least I know now where I’m going.

There are no problems feeling close to nature. This is where the lungs say, 'thank you, I'm feeling good.'

 

Fresh air and sunshine, you can't beat it.

This is a forest of bracken and gum trees

It's amazing how closely art and nature are linked.



 Another art work made from a dead tree stump.

There sitting on a dead tree stump is one of Australia's national symbols, the kangaroo. 

Australians literature is loaded with references to going out into the bush. This is classic Australian bushland.

This is what you would expect to see around marshland or billabongs. At this point I've forgotten that I'm exercising. The world outside is far too fascinating.

I feel so good at this corner.

So exhilerating I could keep walking all day.

I think I was nearly back at the start, but still have a way to go. There is a glimpse of a pair of rosella parrots, but I'm too slow with the camera.

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I made it back to the car park just in time for sunset. I think I walked perhap seven kilometers or more.  So what if I'd stayed on the couch all day? There was so much I would have missed out on. Now I feel like a cup’a and a laze on the couch - No guilt!