We had looked forward to it all week long and today, after a 7.5 mile hike we felt we had earned it: a luscious, just-out-of-the-oven, Josh-made Cream Tea at The Digey. All 7.5 of those miles were worth every step simply to see those scones floating our way.
Perfection on a plate (always a 10)
There were pathways, meadows, stunning cliffs, interesting stiles and 'kissing' gates for us to go through, over, and along. These interesting gates and such made the walk even more interesting. At one point when we were climbing over a granite stile, we noticed something curious and rather delightful. A pair of feet with no shoes.
Hobbit's feet
"Oh, hello - you must have Hobbit feet!" Rosie said in her friendly way.
The man we met just laughed and said, "Oh yes, that's right, no shoes! Haven't bothered with them for years." We all stared (politely) in his direction, and the SconeLady stammered, "But...why?"
He explained that for the last 40 years he had only ever worn shoes during the coldest of weathers, and never otherwise. We were shocked and amazed, as would anyone have been. "But - you are bleeding!" said our Em, glancing down at his feet.
"Oh, that is nothing, nothing at all!" he continued. "My feet are so sturdy that they hardly feel a thing after all these years. Just take a look at the bottom of my big toe - see? right there - I must have caught it on something.."
Sure enough, something had 'caught' on his big toe, and we felt real sorry for him. Not that he needed our sorrow, because he so obviously 'hardly felt a thing'.
The conversation continued until it was time to keep moving, he and his wife one way, ourselves in the other. Very soon we began thinking of the things we wished we would have thought to ask him. But he was gone, and so we went on to stare in amazement at the Godrevy Lighthouse.
The Godrevy Lighthouse is awesome! Just look at it.
On this bright and sunny day it fairly gleamed back at us. There is a tiny sort of shed on the grounds, where we decided the lighthouse man used to keep his belongings. There is a garden wall surrounding the lighthouse, and we imagined that the lighthouse man must have grown his vegetables there. It was all just lovely.
But then it was time to mosey back toward the car. As we moseyed we saw - again - the Hobbit-man, padding along in our direction. What luck! It was our chance to ask him, "Is there any setting in which you would feel you should put on your shoes?"
While he thought for a moment, one of us said, "How about if you were going to meet the Queen?" The Queen is very important over here and we just could not dream of someone ever meeting her without their shoes. In Buckingham Palace. Could you? The Hobbit-man slowly shook his head, and said, "Not really. Wouldn't want to, anyway."
His wife quietly spoke, "Well, I would want you to wear shoes to meet the Queen in her palace; and I would probably want you to dress up as well." To us she said, aside, "He looks real nice when he dresses up.." But her husband was still unresolved.
And then it really was time to go, for our Ted had disappeared down the pathway long since. We said our goodbyes to this most interesting person, and made our way back toward St Ives and The Digey Food Room.
It brings back to me one of the great mysteries of traveling. You just never know when you might meet a Hobbit.
See you along the way!
the SconeLady
https://www.flickr.com/photos/59263516@N08/16931287718
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59263516@N08/16931287718">Welcome home, Bilbo.</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)</a>
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