The Matterhorn of Cheshire

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A short journal for a short journey: My friend Bart and I went on an easy hike in the Peak district in March with the walking club at MBNA. It was a nice but chilly day. The culmination of the hike was a climb up to the "Matterhorn of Cheshire" which is just the largest hill in what happens to be a very flat county. Not exactly a challenging hike, but there were great views of the countryside from the top! The walk was led by a retired gentleman who must have been close to, if not more than 70 years old.

Which leads me to comment on the English and the huge role that walking plays in their lives -- until the end of their lives. I find that I will be exhausted hauling myself up a large hill just about anywhere in England, only to find some octogenarian at the top seemingly less red in the faced and strained than I, a perfectly healthy 22 year old, am. It says something about a culture whose aged generation seems so healthy or at least active to the last. Walking is a huge part of English life and coming from a car-obsessed culture I find it truly amazing how little people here depend on cars and instead on their own feet to get to work and to the shops, and they maintain this practice until they are physically unable to. And then they go out and enjoy walking as a recreational activity as well! I am still amazed every time I am walking through the bustling streets of Chester’s shopping districts and practically run over a little old lady pushing her shopping bag on wheels to or from Tescos. I mean, I get tired of the hike to the grocery store. Sometimes I would kill for a car so I don’t have walk all the way home with my heavy shopping bags. I can imagine how I would feel about it at 75!

But I did thoroughly enjoy my walk in the Peak district, which has very few peaks it seems.

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Photos

Cheshire Countryside
A view of the Cheshire countryside from the top of the "Matterhorn of Cheshire" (I can't remember the real name of this hill!)

Tori at the Top
Me at the top of the hill. It was windy. I am standing on some sort of triangulation marker thing.