Or perhaps that should be spring into March? A march seems closer to a stroll than springing does though so I’ll leave the title as it is.

Well now that’s sorted let’s move on shall we? While I have still been walking over the winter period, it has been mainly on my commute or the odd short stroll. There haven’t been many long, leisurely strolls as it’s not really practical when the days are short, the paths boggy and the winds howling. However it feels like we’re over the worst and March is off to a cracking start.

When going for a longer walk I love to escape suburbia and head into the countryside, especially if I can also include some woodland or a forest. I did manage to do my regular countryside route not too long ago, and made it as far as Wilf’s bench but the paths were still muddy and slippy, which is fine on the flat but feels treacherous when you’re tackling an incline. All this means that the next time I had some time spare for a soothing stroll I thought I’d play it safe and pick a flatter, paved route.

Luckily it doesn’t happen often but this weekend my partner had to work, and the forecast included clear, blue skies, no rain and light winds. In other words, ideal conditions for a relaxing ramble. Earlier this year I discovered that there was a 1600-year old yew tree just a few miles from our house. Plus with the introduction of the new pathway along the main road – a shared space for walkers, rollers & riders – this tree was now accessible without hiking across muddy fields. So I decided it was high-time for another visit.

When I first met the Wilmington Yew it was January so while it was a sunny day there was a bite to the air encouraging us to cut the visit short and hide in the pub instead. This time, while it wasn’t exactly warm, it was mild enough to linger a while. I’m not a religious person, I wouldn’t even class myself as spiritual but there was something special about being near this tree. Mind you I find being surrounded by trees has a soothing effect anyway but there was something extra special about being near this tree in particular.

I had a little wander around the churchyard that the tree lives in, it is a peaceful spot but I soon find myself drawn to the main attraction, the ancient yew appeared to have a magnetic quality that kept drawing me in and made me reluctant to leave. It’s a large tree with a gnarly trunk and it’s branches now need to be supported by wooden posts but it’s still there. Surviving, and by all accounts, thriving too. It seems that no matter what the world throws at it, it just keeps going. Perhaps there’s a lesson in there but all I know is that I loved being by that tree, it provided a moment of serenity. For those few minutes nothing else mattered – the terrible headlines, the work irritants, the general grumbles of everyday life – everything else melted away and it was just me and that ancient beauty.

Of course I did have to say goodbye but I realised this was the start of a beautiful friendship. It is rather reassuring to know that just an hour’s walk from my house is this natural tonic. And spending time with the tree is just the final reward, the walk itself is lovely too as most of the pathway is next to large, open fields. You may see the occasional person but you’re more likely to see sheep & birds, possibly even a majestic bird of prey.

Spring is just the start of lighter days, as time moves on the days will get longer so it won’t be too long before I can visit my friend during the week on an evening stroll. Then on the weekend I can enjoy a relaxing ramble in the countryside, pausing for a rest on Wilf’s bench before stepping out further on paths that were once to boggy to traverse. I cannot wait!

That’s how I stroll.