Sauntering

During my work on the farm my students worked towards the John Muir award. This recognised their work, love and improvements made to a place after natural beauty. John Muir was a naturalist from Scotland who went to America and was a founder figure of the National Parks movement. This resulted in the Peak District being founded where Simon and I have done lots of training for our Camino walk.
I found this quote from John Muir recently which I love

John Muir on "hiking": I don't like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not hike! Do you know the origin of that word 'saunter?' It's a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, 'A la sainte terre,' 'To the Holy Land.' And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these Caminos are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them." Czytaj więcej