Mountains and moral compasses

Have you ever visited a space in the world and it instantly feels like home?
A place that calms your inner noise, silences the chatter and gives you peace like you've not experienced before? A space and permission to be exactly who and what you are.

I have been there this weekend.

My energy levels are through the roof.
I have been in the outside... a very large lot.
My serotonin level is HIGH

And while I haven't slept much (I was watching bunnies bounding round a field at 4am on Saturday - especially after listening to the rain all night), I haven't felt this rejuvenated in a long time.

Castle Rigg has always been special to me - Derwent has many happy memories.
Swimmings, friends, special times.

This weekend was no different.

Very special.
Very magical.
Very welcomed.
Very lovely.
Very perfect,

A celebration of all things wonderful about being in the outside.
HELL. YES.

Sporting.
Doing.
Enabling.
Cheering
Encouraging.
Coaching.
Being.
Sitting.
Challenging.
Marshalling.
Ice-creaming
Shopping
Camping.
Loving.
Coffeeing
Talking.
Friending.
Puddling.
Raining.
Sunshining.
Asking.
Listening.
Seeing.
Magicking
Hilling.

You get the idea.
I've had a bloody nice time.

I have watched friends pushing themselves outside of their comfort zone.
I have listened when they have been nervous.
Offered words of encouragement.
Cheered when they have succeeded.
I may have even had eye leak.

My moral compass has also had an unexpected adventure.
I very innocently visited the Hoka stand - they very generously loaned me a pair of shoes to try for the weekend.

Now, there was a try before you buy offer which was too good to pass up.

I wanted to keep the comfy, spongy, clown shoes I was bouncing around Keswick in.
I didn't want to take them back on Sunday.
My Noosa's, my lovely, lovely Noosa's would feel like bricks.
My lovely Noosa's were half the price of the 'free' shoes on my feet.


'keep them' screamed my feet.
'It will be part of their business model to allow for loss' said one voice.
'It's theft' said another
'ah but you've left your shoes so its a swap, not theft'
'The karma police will make me fall and break my leg'
'It adds whole new meaning to run like you stole it' was the counter argument.

And so it went on.
All weekend.
Obviously the right thing to do is to take them back.

But..... they're so comfy.... and I didn't even leave my name..... or my number.....

Naturally, I am now the proud owner of a pair of Hoka's

I bought them in the sale when I got home.
They are multi-terrain clown-slippers for bouncing in.
And they are GAWDY.

They will make me very happy.
I will also run like I stole them.... But I wont have to run from the karma police.


I am going back to Keswick in a few short weeks.
This time with different friends.
Some will be the same friends from this weekend.
Some less, some extra.


I know now that it will be as magical, if not more so.
I know that there will be weather.
It could be all the weathers in one day.

I know there will be a whole range of feelings.
Joy, nerves, passion, excitement, fear, love, pain, determination, pride.
We will drive each other on.


I cannot wait to be in that field in Keswick and be full of those feelings.
It feels like home.