Steep and Wet - The Edward Thomas Birthday Walk 2012

Walkers gathering - photograph by Andrew Rushton

Each year, on the Sunday nearest to Edward Thomas's birthday (3rd March), the Edward Thomas Fellowship organises a walk in the countryside near his home at Steep, near Petersfield in Hampshire. This event is the main annual gathering for Fellowship members and other admirers of Edward Thomas. There were two walks this year, forming a figure-of-eight route around Steep. As Andrew and I had to get back to Northamptonshire we only took part in the first walk. We met in the car park at Bedales School Steep  at 10.00 and collected our walk sheets before setting off on the morning walk of about 4½ miles and which included a visit to the Memorial Stone.

Part of a very useful PDF detailing Literary Walks in Hampshire the link will take you to the complete PDF.

Destination...In the Mist - photograph by Andrew Rushton

I have seen posts and photographs of the walk from other years, when the sun was out, when flowers and greenery caressed walkers as they passed, but this year the rain began in the car park. First as a bit of a drizzle, culminating in damp, fat snow flakes spied through the window of the village hall where we had our lunch. 

The rain did not deter the walkers or the readers, the route was punctuated by poems written about Edward Thomas and his work. There were hills, it was cold, the views were obscured in places by mist and I was put to shame by the other, older, hardier walkers who made light of the rain and remained unconcerned by the treacherous, slippery chalk just beneath the surface mud. 

Uphill on the Road - photograph by Andrew Rushton

Like the Touch of Rain by Edward Thomas

Like the touch of rain she was
On a man's flesh and hair and eyes
When the joy of walking thus
Has taken him by surprise:

With the love of the storm he burns,
He sings, he laughs, well I know how,
But forgets when he returns
As I shall not forget her 'Go now'.

Those two words shut a door
Between me and the blessed rain
That was never shut before
And will not open again.

I am still being mocked for my fearful whining as I write this! Getting to the memorial stone was quite pleasant, trees offered some shelter, there were conversations with other walkers and the walk uphill seemed easier (less frightening for less than agile, physically timid me!) than the descent. I only really felt safe once I'd found a long stick which convinced me that I was less likely to lose my balance and slide to the bottom of the Shoulder of Mutton.

Round the bend - photograph by Andrew Rushton

A Literary Pilgrim in England

 By Edward Thomas

Through Wet Leaves and Mud - photograph by Andrew Rushton

"Nights of storm, days of mist, without end;"

Edward Thomas would have been horrified by my performance, at the Memorial Stone, we were told  how he would stride up the hill then gallop down with his laughing daughter on his back. How wonderful to be so at one with the body, the landscape and the elements.

View From the Memorial Stone -photograph by Andrew Rushton

Follow the link to the poem

Rain by Edward Thomas

"Rain, midnight rain, nothing but the wild rain ...."

Kathy Page at the Memorial Stone

Follow the link to an interesting essay

Whispering in the Dark: the Poetry of Edward Thomas by James Priory

I haven't been so wet for a long time, but in spite of that it was a wonderful walk, I didn't fall over, I had packed dry clothes, I had experienced the day in the company of dear friends and I hope we'll come back and take the walk again in finer weather!