Path going through the ranch
I will never forget the leisurely walk along the footpath through the farm as we crossed the gentle hills of the Lake District.
The farm pastures are fenced off to prevent sheep and other animals from escaping. A public footpath has been created so that people can walk across the private farm. It is literally a footpath that anyone can use.
I first walked along the path that runs south along the west shore of Coniston Water. At first, the path was a campsite and farm, but as I went south, it became a narrow path covered with ferns. It was also here that I found heather blooming on the cliffs.
The road from Coniston Village to Hoxhead was a hilly road that you could walk through the farm all the way. It was a gently undulating road with shade from trees, and a refreshing breeze.
I also walked the footpath from Ambleside to Lake Grasmere. There were many people out walking here. I greeted everyone I met, and met a dog that had come for a walk with a branch from its favorite tree.
The farm is surrounded by a fence to prevent sheep and cows from escaping, but sometimes the footpath passes through the fence. There are various entrances to the fence that are designed so that people can pass through but not sheep. Some fences open like doors, so even if people open them, animals cannot. There were various gates that only people can pass through, such as those that require you to step over the fence on a step stool or those that require you to climb a small staircase to get over.
When I walk along the footpath, I will encounter various natural features. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of things left behind by cows, wild flowers along the roadside, and bees that you don't see in Japan.
There are no bicycles, so you can experience the English breeze that can only be experienced on a walking trip. I went over the hills with just a backpack to the next youth hostel, where I will be staying for the night.
In the fields and mountains of Japan, I can take any route you like as long as I don't break the rice field paths. However, here, there are "Private no entry" signs posted all over the farm roads, and it seems that the general rule is that even if there is a road, I cannot pass through private land such as fields and pastures.
Ordinance Survey's 1:25,000 map clearly distinguishes and clearly depicts the paths that you are allowed to walk on. I wish we had maps with such detailed drawings in Japan.
