The overnight rain had worked its magic on the countryside, leaving everything around Ashover Rock feeling cooler and fresher this morning.
I decided to do a circular walk around the Rock. What seems like a long spell of hot weather, it was a welcome change. The air felt clean, which made walking much more enjoyable.
At one point, I paused at the edge to do a bit of 'grounding'. A couple of years ago, I bumped into a man who was sat on the grass with his shoes off. He said he was “grounding”, which is direct skin contact with the earth, allowing an electrical charge to pass between your body and the ground. Some people say they get health benefits from it, such as reducing inflammation and stress, and so on. I’ve no idea if it works, as I’m not stressed. You’re supposed to put your feet on the grass, but as it had been raining, I sat on a rock instead, while taking in the view of the village below. It was good to get some fresh air on your toes!
Higher up, a man sat atop the main rock outcrop, quietly taking in the lovely views for himself.
As I walked along, I checked for bilberries, but it turns out they weren't out yet. In fact, some of the bushes looked quite dried out and scorched from the heat, much like parts of the heather.
Despite the dry patches, the rain had made the purple heather show a little more colour overall, with small patches beginning to stand out across the landscape.
There was something nice about not having to battle the heat for a change. I even walked through some soft, fluffy grass along the footpath, which felt great.
It made a nice change finishing my walk feeling comfortable instead of hot and bothered. The views were lovely, as always, and it was nice to be out before the day really got going.
