When I got an enquiry a few weeks back, the caller asked - "would your walks be suitable for my two children, they are 5 and 7?" I thought about it, and then reassured him that, if they were used to walking, they would be fine. Then I had time to think it over, so by the time we met for the picnic, I was wondering if it was going to work, particularly as I had decided on a four mile route which included a couple of uphill stretches.
As soon as I saw the kids, I was a lot happier - they were full of energy, and really up for it - asking questions, and making the whole walk so much fun. There was a point where the five year old dashed off in front of us, so to keep him from straying too far from the path, I shouted "watch out for snakes!" - that brought him back quick enough. So, I explained that, yes, there are snakes in the Forest, but our chances of seeing one were very slim, as they could feel our huge feet crashing along the path, and would easily get out of our way.
So, I was amazed when a high pitched scream alerted me to the fact that the kids had seen a snake - a small grass snake which was hurriedly taking to the heather beside the path as we walked towards Hampton Ridge. It was my first sighting of the year, and really unusual to see one when we were sticking to the beaten path, and in a party of 7 people and a dog. I'm not sure all the adults were pleased to see it, but it certainly made the childrens' day (and mine!).
As soon as I saw the kids, I was a lot happier - they were full of energy, and really up for it - asking questions, and making the whole walk so much fun. There was a point where the five year old dashed off in front of us, so to keep him from straying too far from the path, I shouted "watch out for snakes!" - that brought him back quick enough. So, I explained that, yes, there are snakes in the Forest, but our chances of seeing one were very slim, as they could feel our huge feet crashing along the path, and would easily get out of our way.
So, I was amazed when a high pitched scream alerted me to the fact that the kids had seen a snake - a small grass snake which was hurriedly taking to the heather beside the path as we walked towards Hampton Ridge. It was my first sighting of the year, and really unusual to see one when we were sticking to the beaten path, and in a party of 7 people and a dog. I'm not sure all the adults were pleased to see it, but it certainly made the childrens' day (and mine!).
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