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by
BBC South Yorkshire
contributor Jill Gubbins |
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I discovered
the Rivelin Valley more or less by accident. I was in a foul mood
and I just needed to get away from everything - housemates, work,
life in general.
Don't
get me wrong; I love city life, and Sheffield is a great place to
be, but it's not that good for calming me down!
So
I stomped off in the direction of Crookes, not really caring where
I was going and turned off at the first nice looking tree-lined
path I found.
Straight
away I was relaxing and I felt better the further from the city
and the traffic I got.
Staring
matches with cows
I headed
downhill clambering over stiles and walls, getting lost, having
staring matches with cows as I crossed their field (they won), and
my mood was gradually improving.
I crossed
a road and heard a river, so followed my ears and found myself on
a bridge.
One
quick round of pooh sticks later - it's no fun on your own - and
I was bounding up the path, heading away from Sheffield.
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| Jill
found peace at the river - despite the odd altercation with
the local wildlife. |
Those
pesky ducks
All
I could hear was the river and the two ducks I was racing upstream.
Yet
again the ducks won (but they cheated - I can't fly) but I suddenly
felt so calm, so relaxed.
I hopped
onto a rock in the middle of the river, sat down to wet my feet
and just stayed there for about half an hour thinking.
It was
so beautiful: there was the sound of the river and the birds, oh and
the odd cyclist giving me funny looks.
I felt
as if nothing could go wrong so long as there were still places
like this.
Since
that day, I've been back there many times.
I
go whenever I feel stressed or upset and when I feel good too. It
doesn't matter, because it always uplifts me and makes me grateful
for what I have.
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