01. Aug 2025

Bath - Warminster

Photo 1: "Fence climbing help"
Many paths that I walk in southern England are the so called "by-ways". Some are very small and narrow. Others pass through open fields. Often there is a gate or a climb helper to give way of passage through or over fences. The by-ways make it possible to avoid busy roads when walking from one town to the other. Some climb helpers and gates are well maintained as in this photo...

Photo 2: ...others are not. Even though the path might be marked as a public path, it is obvious that not many people have gone that way for some time. Thorns will add to the challenge of getting through the passageway. Sometimes it is not clear how the path continues through an open field. Without the green line in my hiking app, I would be like Joseph in the Old Testament wandering around the field without orientation. Sometimes there is no climb helper. I have had to get through barbed wire, pass under electric wire and climb over closed gates. It is all part of the journey...

Photo 3:The view looking back over the city of Bath early this morning. I had a few short talks with people on the path today. Two were more special. I bought a very needed bottle of water from a small village store. The woman who tended the store was a Hindu from Sri Lanka. She was very interested in my walk and asked a number of questions. As I was leaving, I felt prompted to tell her that Jesus broke through the cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation) through his death and resurrection. He said: "Because I live, you shall live as well." I wished her this promise of life, hope and peace to be hers. Later on a by-way a mother was carrying a little girl on her shoulders. The girl had a paper hat on her head that said: "It's my birthday today!" Little Edi turned three years old. I asked the mother if I could speak out a birthday blessing for her daughter. It was a special moment.

Photo 4: Part of the walk today went along the Avon Canal.

Photo 5: A look back over the path at the top of a hill.