found the elixir of youth and vitality.
Yesterday my 11,000 steps took me to a magical place.
The spring at Scotney Castle
Back in the day in freezing February, I saw the sign
'Spring Walk', thinking to myself more blooming daffs!
That is until yesterday when Rose said
'Have you seen the spring Linda?'
'Err, no, didn't know we had one!'
What a truly magical place.
By the side of the stream,
under two magnificient evergreen trees,
from out of the ground bubbled the iron-rich
water.
Stooping to cup the water, my heart slowed:
the taste - iron.
We wandered back through the newly emerging wild garlic, and cuckoo
flowers. All the while I was thinking, I'll return later alone.
For the rest of the day, chatting to the visitors, my
thoughts returned to the spring.
I had to retrace my steps.
Slowly I walked, enjoying the solitude.
I met a couple returning from the spring.
'What did you think? Wasn't the spring just amazing?' I asked
They said they had thought it was just a Spring
Walk, not a spring walk.
We laughed and the rest of the of the way was mine.
In the quiet of the late afternoon,
I watched the water lazily bubble up in the middle of
the stone surround.
The gully taking the flow into the stream runneth over
onto the vegetation, turning it orange with rust.
I stood, eyes drinking in the primeval sight
gurgling out of the earth.
The same water that made Royal Tunbridge Wells the spa town it is today?
The Chalybeate Spring in the Pantiles?
As I walked away, I vowed to each week 'take
the waters'.
This morning though, the doubts set in...
Is it safe, I just don't know!
What do you think?
The spring at Scotney Castle
Back in the day in freezing February, I saw the sign
'Spring Walk', thinking to myself more blooming daffs!
That is until yesterday when Rose said
'Have you seen the spring Linda?'
'Err, no, didn't know we had one!'
What a truly magical place.
By the side of the stream,
under two magnificient evergreen trees,
from out of the ground bubbled the iron-rich
water.
Stooping to cup the water, my heart slowed:
the taste - iron.
We wandered back through the newly emerging wild garlic, and cuckoo
flowers. All the while I was thinking, I'll return later alone.
For the rest of the day, chatting to the visitors, my
thoughts returned to the spring.
I had to retrace my steps.
Slowly I walked, enjoying the solitude.
I met a couple returning from the spring.
'What did you think? Wasn't the spring just amazing?' I asked
They said they had thought it was just a Spring
Walk, not a spring walk.
We laughed and the rest of the of the way was mine.
In the quiet of the late afternoon,
I watched the water lazily bubble up in the middle of
the stone surround.
The gully taking the flow into the stream runneth over
onto the vegetation, turning it orange with rust.
I stood, eyes drinking in the primeval sight
gurgling out of the earth.
The same water that made Royal Tunbridge Wells the spa town it is today?
The Chalybeate Spring in the Pantiles?
As I walked away, I vowed to each week 'take
the waters'.
This morning though, the doubts set in...
Is it safe, I just don't know!
What do you think?
In this post you sound like Dorothy Wordsworth, communing with Nature. But where was Willie?...re. "taking the waters", my expert scientific advice is "No! Just look!"
ReplyDeleteWillie was admiring the daffs, what else?
ReplyDeletePity, I need some help in the ageing department.
LLX
re. Ageing - I can give you a full body oil massage following special training in Thailand. Just send me my train ticket and I'll bring the Castrol.
ReplyDeleteThat was such a kind thought. I am a tad chary, because the last massage I had in Thailand (alright it was a facial) I finished up looking EXACTLY like you in your blogging passport photo. Now if you had suggested Lifebouy...
ReplyDeleteLLX
I was going to suggest that when you are visiting Yorkshire you could top up with sulphur water from the Harrogate Royal Pump Room - but now EU regulations say it's not safe to drink. Sniffing is all that's permitted.
ReplyDeleteI think Tunbridge Wells water suffered the same fate. Sniffing? The ruddy world's gone mad!
DeleteLLx
I wouldn't risk drinking it Lin but it might give some interesting effects if used for natural dyeing! x
ReplyDeleteJayne, you will have to cross my palm with more than silver, to get enough for your witches cauldron... errr... oops... dyeing vat.
DeleteLLX
You're a poet Linda!
ReplyDeleteIn 1774 when Scotney was sold to a Mr Richards, a dancing master from Robertsbridge, the particulars of sale mentions "an excellent mineral well of the same quality as that at Tunbridge Wells". So maybe it is an elixir (not sure I'd drink it though!)
Duncan
Hardly a poet Duncan, more a purveyor of toffee! So much to see, so very much to learn.
DeleteLLX
You know, don't you, that the ancient holy wells were once in the "possession" of the druids. When Rome marched north and drove the "heathens" out, they co-opted all these lovely secret places where the water sprung forth from the earth and gave them Christian names. And they are so intrinsically feminine!
ReplyDeleteThe ancient yews that flank the spring speak to me... the meaning of which I can't divine.
DeleteShould each week I take the waters? I know not... I want to... I'm drawn to...
LLX