Never again will I prepare a tale that involves going up a mountain without feeling the pack on my back, the pull of my leg muscles nor the mixed feelings of determination and exhilaration of climbing Bow Fell.
Each step on the rocky paths formed part of a slowly unfolding story, a personal journey with its trials, shifts in emotion and changing weather. Together with meeting strangers on the way and that feeling of reaching the summit only to see another piece of the mountain waiting round the corner - its the stuff Wonder Tales are made of!
Then there it is at last... the view from the top... and everything shifts and changes,a glimpse of something magical and a sense of achievement welling up that makes you see the trials of the 'up' differently.
The way back down is still tricky (and not without new challenges) but a transformation has occurred, new strength and confidence arises and you find yourself striding out again ready to take on the world.
A celebration or feast at the end of the tale? Well on this particular Friday it took the form of a welcome pint of local ale at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Pub in glorious sunshine with my boots kicked off, swapping yarns and experiences with fellow walkers.
It would have been a perfect place to 'tell a story' I thought walking back to our car.
However as I glanced back over my shoulder to the pub garden I looked fondly at eclectic group of hikers continue chatting, gesturing in full flow...
We had, and were...
the stories of the Langdale Valley...
