One thing I love about running when away from home is the surprise factor. To borrow a phrase from Forest Gump, it’s just like a box of chocolates; you don’t know what you’re gunna get.
Staying by the seaside on this spectacularly warm day, I had to go running, it would be rude not to! I ran the mile or so down to the beach and along the sea front, very nice it was too. By and by the path became a little rougher, sometimes grassy and it was serious dog-walker territory. Then it seemed like I had transitioned into a parallel universe.
I had always thought that “gated communities” of mansion like houses for the rich and/or famous was a strictly American phenomenen but the “Willowhayne” estate in East Preston is like Stepford but over-here. To be honest, I am not 100% sure I should have been there but the sign on the path saying this was private property and you (as a non resident) are not at all welcome, was next to one pointing down the path saying “public footpath”. I think I’d be on solid ground saying there were mixed messages there but in my book, public footpaths trump grumpy landowners!
One thing that struck me (apart from the jaw-droppingly gorgeous houses) was that there were no people about; on foot or in a vehicle. To be honest I was quite glad about that because I was quite expecting to be accosted at any moment by some security guard saying “what the hell are you doing here”! This is definitely one occasion that I am glad this is the UK and even if a security man did get the hump, at least he wouldn’t be carrying a gun!
All in all it was definitely the poshest housing estate I’ve ever been in and a reminder of how I love exploring.
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”
John 14:2 NIVUK
http://bible.com/113/jhn.14.2.nivuk
Marathon Mann 