I set up stall in knockvicar organic garden in late July last year. I knew about the bog walk that started just down the lane but I somehow never managed to go on it. Because the good people of knockvicar had devised a very educational route it sounded just that, educational, and come two p.m. (ish) packing up time (always difficult, no natural packing inclinations) having been on my feet for too many hours since thursday evening and risen up very very early to bake bread I never really felt like an educational walk if I ever felt like a walk at all. One of my favourite customers told me that it was a truly amazing walk, he had started to go most weeks and he had not ever once taken the educational sheet with him. So the educational bog walk was just a very good walk. I felt sillier by the week never to have managed to make the time—some weeks the weather provided a good excuse, but most Saturdays had been fair.
One day I had to stay late to give W. a lift home so I just went, I walked part of the way, it was a bright dry day, the ground was all dry and the cushion of grass made it feel like a comfortable mattress. There was no one about, the quietness was surrounding and safe. It was a magical place. Like stepping onto a different planet, or another dimension that was always about and strengthening in its presence even if you were not always aware of it.
I go often now and sometimes I venture farther through the succession of landscapes and into the forest. I go alone, with the children or with A. But the beauty of the bog walk is that even when I only go a little down the way or even when I don’t go at all, I feel its magical presence about.
I couldn’t recommend the bog walk more, try it (with or without educational sheets) the itinerary is clearly marked in the landscape.
