I braved the bus, the town centre, and a restaurant today. I had my first ever Turkish meal… a rather delicious and filling Lamb Beyti served with salad and rice. Many thanks to my youngest son for inviting me and treating me to this meal.
It’s so long since I last went on a bus I forgot how to set the Moovit app so had to go to my backup app Soundscape to listen to the streets, etc being announced.
My son met me at the bus station and we headed across town to the restaurant (I left the choice up to him as he was paying).
I had a hard time deciding what to have from the menu (printed in largish text so I could read it as I can text on my iPad). I had 3 options that appealed to me the Lamb Beyti which I at first read as Betyi. I’ll have to return at least twice more to try the Falafels, and the third option a Feta salad.
After a delicious meal and chat with my son it was time to come home while my son did his grocery shopping (he lives in one of the town centre flats).
One of the best things about Welwyn Garden City is Sherrardswood Nature Reserve just on the edge of the town centre.
I’d forgotten that there was building work at the Campus West Car Park (they are building a multi story car park to replace the current one level one) so decided to see if I could find the “alley way” further up since there was no direct access from the car park any more. I came out (in?) where I expected to by the Ayot Greenway information board. That explains that the Greenway is along one of the railways that Beeching closed. If one follows the greenway west of Welwyn Garden City it eventually leads to the restored Wheathampstead Station, and to the east it terminates in Ware.
I realised as I was walking along it was my first visit since October 2019. And I didn’t have my all terrain Huju tip as I hadn’t originally planned to walk home via the wood. I hoped I could remember my way to Six Ways a clearing with 6 paths leading off of it. I also hoped my rollerball wouldn’t snag too badly.
It took a while but I eventually thought I’d found the path that led to Six Ways so strode along looking confident while feeling a little nervous…
It was a relief to see the blur of the sign post… it always makes me think of Alice In Wonderland asking directions from the Cheshire Cat.
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
“—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
I picked a path I calculated would take me to where I planned to exit the woods (near shops 20 minutes from my home). And set off. This was a route I’d last walked solo over 37 years ago I think (I do think I’ve walked part of the route with my eldest son when he had a girlfriend who lived in the area about 10 or so years ago). It was certainly the first time I’d taken this route blind. And it felt so new.
I first had to decide if I needed to head towards Pentley Park or Rectory Road, so I found a shaded area and checked the Map app. It took a few minutes of zooming in and out before I decided Pentley Park was the correct direction. It was wonderful to be striding along in the correct direction albeit not as fast as usual due to my rollerball snagging.
The vegetation under the tree canopy was quite lush where the canopy wasn’t as thick. I’m not sure if it’s bracken or fern but it was nearly as tall as me on one side of the path and slightly taller on the other side.
There’s something soothing to me when I’m surrounded by so much green.
When I got to the Pentley Park entrance I followed the path that ran along the edge of the woods. As I met a family I asked if I was still going in the direction I thought I was. The adult man informed me that I was but I’d soon come to a steep downward slope and advised me instead “to take a side path along a ridge by that big tree over there.” And offered to walk with me to the turning. I remembered the ridge from way back when I could see and decided to continue down the slope as unless it had been widened* I knew I wouldn’t feel safe.
*An impossibility as the trees along the top of the ridge run along the back gardens, and there’s the steep slope on the other side of the path.
I slowly and carefully walked down the steep slope with no problem. As I continued along the path at the bottom I realised yet again how my Huju tip is superior on this type of walk as my rollerball skimmed over one section then 2 steps later I stepped on the spot and it was a large muddy “puddle” with a thin dry crust on top. I may just be more used to the Huju’s feedback, but I’m sure as it’s a “thin, static” tip it would have disturbed the crust, where the rollerball just moved over the surface.
Following the path round I found the playing field/ picnic field I found that what was kept mown 37 years ago is now allowed to grow long, with paths cut through, except round the playing area/ equipment. I could hear the grasshoppers or crickets as I walked, they certainly seem to prefer the meadow vibe.
I got out onto the road, found a safe place to cross to pass the shops at Shoplands (yes really that the name of that road) then walked the 20 minutes home to the Haldens area of Welwyn Garden City.
I started writing this post yesterday (Saturday 9th July) but having massive headache finishe’d it today (Sunday 10th July).
Until next time.
Was that a dinosaur? 1.0 
One thought on “Turkish meal, and a walk in the woods”