Tuesday 10 September 2013

Walking to School

We're really lucky, not only to have managed to secure a space for Squeaky at a very popular local school, but to live only a ten minute (at adult pace, 15 minutes at Squeaky pace) walk away from school. As a result, Squeaky gets to experience something I never had the opportunity to do as a child, walking to school.  I went to Catholic school & so was always a car or school bus journey away from school & my friends.  So we're trying our hardest to walk to school as often as possible.

On our way to school
I am very aware that I'm writing this part way through our second week of school, and my opinions about the idea of walking may very well change when the weather starts turning in, but right now we're both enjoying the opportunities walking gives us.  A bit of quality time together to chat without the constant background noise of Disney Junior, a chance to look around and realise what a great place we live in.  And considering the fact the school is halfway up a fairly steep hill, there's health benefits too.

Mmmm, blackberries

We get to check out the status of the blackberries at the end of our road (more are ripe, I feel another crumble coming on!) watch the river bubbling by & try to spot the fish, count the steps up the steep bit, watch the builders working on the new flats, try to dodge the big noisy dogs in the prefabs, and wonder why the dogs' owner has their Christmas lights outside all year round. We learn about road safety, and relative geography, as we can hear the children in the playground long before we can see over the wall, or see the school gates.

The River Taff, doing whatever it is rivers do.

I know that walking to school is probably going to be one of my passing fads that I'm all enthusiastic about now, but will quickly get forgotten in favour of the car. The road the school is on, though, is really narrow with very limited parking, so driving to school isn't really an easy option.  We're doing our bit for our health & environment for as long as we can.

Scary Christmas house

How do you get to school?  And what do you find to do along the way?

1 comment:

  1. We walk every day!! I have done the school run for the last 5 years and don't want to put a negative feeling about it but the novelty will wear off when it's cold, wet and windy...But on the nice days it is brilliant!! I love walking home with my two finding out about their day!!

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