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Season to be cheerful

Shorter days, dark mornings, colder weather – there’s no denying it, Autumn is here. Usually a beautiful time of year and my favourite season, Autumn’s start this year has been rather blighted by the weather, with a month’s worth of rain falling in just 48 hours in many parts of the country.

This was the case here in Bath – I am not the only member of the team now to be addressing dripping walls/leaking windows as a result. I have to admit, I pretty much stayed indoors all weekend, eschewing a sodden walk in the wind and rain in favour of hunkering down indoors by the fire.

But that’s where I went wrong. We all need light, particularly sunlight, to thrive. We need fresh air and to be outdoors as much as we can – perhaps this year more so than ever before. And we mustn’t let the weather stop us, as Rachel, my AJ colleague and mother to two-year old Alfred, told me this morning.

‘I am trying to adopt the Scandi approach of embracing the cold,’ she said. ‘To get outside as much as possible, regardless of the weather.”

With this in mind, Rachel told me how she and her family and dogs headed out in the torrential rain and wild wind on Sunday. Alfred ran through the woods in delight, arms waving, embracing the nip of the cold and the wind on his face. He loved it. ‘So long as you have a warm place to come back to – and something good to eat too – you’ll be fine.’ Rachel added.  And Alfred declared the walk the best part of his weekend too.

As another Alfred (Wainwright) is known for saying, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing’.  He may be right; there’s nothing worse than cold, wet feet on a long walk.

So, this weekend, I shall be heading out in my woolly hat and biggest coat, welcoming whatever the weather brings with open arms (hopefully) – and I hope you do too. Learning to embrace the great outdoors and the changing seasons might prove to be our saving grace, particularly should full lockdown restrictions return for us all. Just remember the pot of coffee and a slab of carrot cake to welcome you home.