The Walk
It’s 7.15am and I’m on the ‘Scrubs’ about to walk my dogs. After letting Tango and Megan off their leads, I stand still for a moment to take in the scene before me. I never tire of watching the sun rise and the beautiful colours it throws out to announce the birth of a new day. This morning is no exception; the sun is a bright ball of fiery orange and red, sitting just above the horizon. The dispersing night clouds are tinted with yellow, peach, violet, blue and pink, it’s like the colours are chasing the darkness away. I close my eyes and breathe in the morning air allowing the scents and sounds to invigorate me then exhale slowly. When I open my eyes Megan is stood looking at me as if to say are we going? We start our walk up the centre path.
Just up ahead of me are Helen and Pam walking their dogs, I catch up with them and exchange the usual pleasantries. A cool wind has picked up and I watch the long brown grasses both sides of us sway and dance in the breeze. Dotted amongst this oasis of nature reserve - where a variety of birds and animals live - are small bushes, some already displaying their red berries, telling us that autumn is upon us. Ever so often, flashes of lilac, white and yellow appear through the grass, flowers dancing hard like they are trying to get noticed.
Even from a distance of 150/200 metres away you can hear the huge flock of Parakeets that roost at the entrance to the avenue. I often wonder what they are saying to each other, maybe the same things that we say; good morning, did you sleep well, I’m hungry what’s for breakfast etc. What I will say when stood beneath them is; that they are very vocal and very loud. The noise is almost deafening, I’m sure even people hard of hearing would be able to hear them perfectly well.
As I venture down the avenue I notice that the Horse Chestnut trees on my left have lost most of their leaves and stand like skeletons against the railings of the train tracks, whilst on my right, the trees have retained most of their foliage. This part of the walk smells of wet earth and decaying vegetation.
Further on I come back out into the open, following my usual route round the trees to the furthest end of the Scrubs. It amazes me the multiple shades of green there are and how many different shaped trees grow. When reaching the end, I turn around and head straight back across, in between the football pitches. You can always tell when football has been played because of the amount of bottles they leave scattered around. Megan doesn’t mind this she likes carrying things then stops to have a chew. Two of the grounds men are out picking up the litter, must be so annoying having to do this several times a week!
Entering the copse in the middle of the Scrubs the sound of the ground changes, it’s almost hollow and when the dogs run full flight over it, you would swear there was a horse galloping behind you!
Heading back down the centre path, several tiny birds fly out of the long grass, voicing their opinions about being disturbed, although we’re not really near them we hurry on. At the bottom as I put the leads back on I take a last look at the scene, smile and then head off home.
