h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There's a little hill behind the house that I see every day through the kitchen window. I judge the weather by how well I can see the top of it and what colour it appears - a murky grey as it dissolves into the hill fog coming down off the peaks; a golden glow or pink tinge in the late evening sun; a speckled white when the snows are settling in.

Despite 17 years living here and watching its changing character, I'd never climbed it and stood on the top looking back at my kitchen window. Until this year, when on one of my summer walks I decided to turn right above the little disused quarry instead of my usual left across the moors to the Pennine Way. And you know what, I've discovered a new vantage point from which to survey the world around me. It's not the highest peak around, but it forms a little finger pointing away from the Pennines so there are long views on three sides and open moorland on the other tempting the feet to carry on exploring. The weather round here tends to the damp and up on Peak Naze I could see the clouds rolling in with just enough time to get back down and home before the rain came.

Now when I look out of the kitchen window and see my little hill, I can pick out my path and look forward to the next time I'm up there looking back.

I don't have much to add except that that's a lovely tale.

I'm glad you enjoyed it

Such lovely writing Metal Chicken! Really atmospheric stuff.

I wanna live where you do! real countryside! hills! no smll city like wher I am!

[Amy P]