twolittleajs: family microadventure!!

For a birthday present recently I was given a book called Microadventures by Alastair Humpreys, and one of the microadventures highlights the adventure in exploring your own area, rather than feeling the need to travel far and wide for adventure. I love the idea of looking for adventures closer to home, creating a sense of exploration and looking at familiar things in a different way. So when we had family to stay at the weekend, and they suggested walking to another village, before catching a train home, I thought fantastic, why not!! I'd never done it before with both, I always afraid that it was too far (2.5 miles approx), I had done it once with a friend whilst Arthur was small enough to be in a baby carrier, but never when they were both walking.

So off we went heading in a large group of people, children and dogs, along the windy country roads and me dreading the first hill and cries of "carry me!!" Luckily Arthur was full of energy and practically ran up the hill, fuelled on by the speed of the dogs at the front, whilst Alyssa walked slowly with the back of the group. We did meet a few cars on the road, but not a huge amount, and one horse, which delighted the children. It was definitely interesting looking a t a route we have taken many times by car, at a slower more relaxed pace. There were beautiful houses that we passed that would of gone unnoticed by car, a stable with a horse as well as others in a field. And also we found some 'elf hats' on the road which Alyssa loved.

Then we hit the BIG hill, Arthur ran on ahead, and occasionally back down to check up on everyone, then back up again (I need to bottle up some of his energy!!) Alyssa immediately wanted carrying, so poor daddy had extra weight to carry up the hill. From the top of the hill it was all down hill, to our destination, the sun dappled through the tree canopy, and soon the viaduct was in sight, signalling the end of our journey, the pub! Were a play in the park and a bowl of chips were the reward for the kids, and a refreshing drink for the adults, before we headed back up the hill to catch the train home.

At the station, daddy led the children across the tracks (on the path!) to the car park on the other side so they could wave to us and then back again whilst we waited. Alyssa then had the job of spotting the train coming across the viaduct and alerting everyone it was on it's way, she wants to be the fat controller when she grows up, so she loved this idea!

The train journey back was short, but lovely views on such a beautiful sunny October day, and the children loved looking out the window and seeing bits of our walk, Alyssa of course was very happy with the chance to ride on the train. We really need to go on the train more often with the kids as it's something so simple but so enjoyable to them, and I will definitely be doing that walk again! We may even venture in the over direction and walk to villages I have never been to before, as Charles Muntz says in the film UP "Adventure is out there!"