run with me

The weather is getting warmer and the need for a jacket during a morning run is (almost) not a pre-requisite. Except, perhaps, when I absent-mindedly decide to wear the capris that have lost its drawstring after a vigorous work out in the spin cycle. In that case, the jacket purposefully serves as a makeshift belt.

Today, I decided to go for a run with a camera in my pocket to show you the sights of our nearby park, Darley Abbey. While it seemed like a good idea, needless to say it isn’t an effective way to run (the constant looking for photographic moments and, of course, the added weight from the camera) but the run was much more enjoyable, nonetheless.

Recently, every time I'm in Darley Abbey, I always seem to wonder if I'm running in a new park. There’s always a burst of new colour (has that purple rhododenren bush always been there?) and new sounds (that's a new type of bird!).

Darley Abbey, to me, is a miniature version of Q.E. Park, one of my favourite places in Vancouver, but without the large and small quarries, mountainous views, and hoards of wedding parties taking up residence for their post-ceremony photos (however, the number of dogs I've encountered here nearly equals the mass number of well-dressed individuals on a sunny Saturday in June). In lieu of Seasons in the Park, there is a little cafe, which constantly tempts me to make a visit during my run but my mental will-power (and mostly, the fact that I don't run with my wallet) enables me to resist the urge.

Like any English town, there's a nearby pub. It's called 'The Abbey' and we like to think that it was once a monastery as that's what the picture on the sign shows but we're not certain. When we go for our Sunday morning runs, leftovers from Saturday night's fun remains on the patio furniture. I hope that one day we will encounter an intoxicated dog or cat that polished up those half-finished beer mugs!


The run continues along the river and through a little industrial area:



And the home stretch:


This was the most bleakest park of the run in the winter but the trees dressed in leaves has such a wondrous effect (who knew England could be so green?). In the far left of the photo, there's a cricket field. We usually see men in starchy white uniforms with paddles getting ready to tee-off (whoops, that's golf, I believe) on Sunday mornings but we have yet to endure watching a sport that could last for days, from what we have been told...