In which I mull over my plan for walking with baby this summer

The baby, the baby carrier, the camera and the rucksack

7th April 2014

My plan for the summer is to do less eating and chatting and more walking and exploring.  We are lucky enough to live within striking distance of the South Downs; We being me, Himself and my five month old baby girl and we live in deepest, darkest countryside with assorted four-legged companions and a considerable number of two-legged, egg-laying ones.

Like any new mother knows, the days can churn by in a seemingly endless, groundhog day-style of feeding and changing, interspersed with fractured forays into laundry and other domestic tasks. Getting out in the fresh air (which I am assured by both modern sorts and the old guard as A Good Thing) has already helped me in many ways - no day featuring a walk among trees and greenery ever feels wasted. But I wanted to do more with it and give it a focus.

So I was ruminating on the things that make me happy and how best to use this once in a lifetime opportunity of being legitimately away from work. I didn't think I would look back and wish I'd done more sitting and more eating. Exploring, nature and photography, with my favourite person in the world is my answer to all kinds of questions about being a mother this summer. 

So my plan was born: Get a good baby carrier, a camera, a map and a cram a lot of baby-related paraphernalia into the smallest rucksack I can manage and set about exploring the South Downs; it's rivers, nature reserves, beaches and hill-tops. Take photographs. Write it all down. Have something to show and share with my daughter when she is grown up.