Lovely Outliers

Getting out of London on the weekend is some kind of magic for my soul. Even though I live in a wonderful neighbourhood and have lots of green space available to me, the constancy, the frenetic energy, the density of people still wear on me and I crave some silence and stillness that abound in natural spaces. Thankfully, my flatmate Emma agrees AND has a car, so this morning, we filled a few thermoses with coffee and backpacks with snacks and headed for the hills. The Chiltern hills are a relatively short drive from North London and offer an abundance of foot paths, forests, and fields.

We parked near Irvinghoe Beacon and set off on the Ridgeway path, The dense fog and chalk-filled eath created an eerie but beautiful feeling. Like scenes from a movie, people and animals would appear and vanish into the mist. According to the National Trust, Irvinghoe Beacon is “the best place to enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.” This is obviously the case: 😛 What a view!

We continued to ramble up and down hills and across the sticky thick mud of the fields, seeing sheep, being startled by two shockingly large hares, a flock of some sort of deer creatures, and assorted sculls and bones. I loved the moody mist and the silence that cloaked the countryside, as thick as the fog. A small amount of fence hopping and dog befriending required for this adventure. Once we got back to the car and restored the concentration of caffeine in our bodies to an acceptable level, we were on our way again, weaving through curvy English lanes on the scenic route back to London. I took us on a bit of a detour in order to experience this gem of a town: I am just so amazed that someone thought this was the best thing to name a village. Cow Roast. Pure poetry.

We stopped at an AMAZING pub not too far from Cow Roast – the Black Horse Inn. To start with, check out this adorbs Emma-sized door:It is the the sort of perfect pub that has low ceilings, a real fire, and a dog that is familiar enough with the place and the people it knows the best place to laze. The food was incredible – it was the best Sunday roast I have ever had! Still crunchy veg, buttery mash, and an impeccably made onion roast, with a gallon of gravy. My tummy was happy with all the life choices today! Another successful Highgate Honeys excursion! Hope you had a lovely weekend! x