The homeward journey

The evening sped past, starting with tea and cake, followed by an ingenious hot shower – heated by the stove and taken with a view of an old birch tree. There was enough warmth in the sun to lay back and soak up our privileged setting, before we set to work collecting water, feeding the horses, cooking dinner. It was like nothing else I’d experienced. A joyous concoction of wilderness and civilisation, of hard work and relaxation, of socialising and isolation. The ponies, the teepee, the spectacular location, and not another human being around. It all added up to the experience of a lifetime and one I’ll truly never forget. And like all special experiences, you take away a bit of the spirit of the place when you leave.

So it was with a renewed perspective that the time machine took me back down the A1 and back to reality the next day. Home. Kettle filled. Water boiled. Cuppa made. Heating on. Showered, washed and dressed. It was all so easy. But I was filled with a sense of appreciation for not only my life at home, but also the importance of reconnecting with the most natural parts of myself, which can only be found from time spent in the wild.