I have a friend who I started meeting for walks during the pandemic, usually along the seafront. We found it a great way to catch up and share news, and it kept our friendship alive when other activities were off the table. We still meet for walks.

Today we took the train to Falmer, which always makes things feel like an adventure since I rarely rely on trains these days. We went for a walk around Stanmer Park. I know the park and woodland well, as it’s a frequent choice for a dog walk when we don’t want to travel far, but my friend is an infrequent visitor. So I took on the role of “walk leader.”

We followed an easy-to-navigate route, mostly sticking to the woodland trail, before heading off in search of refreshments. We stopped for lunch at the Stanmer Tea Rooms, which I hadn’t been inside for a few years, and enjoyed sitting by their open fire in an Alice in Wonderland-themed room, eating generously sized portions of food.

On our way back to the station, a blanket of snowdrops beneath the trees near the university caught our eye. We went for a closer look, admiring their abundance and the way they brightened the winter landscape.

It remains a lovely way to catch up and share news, and we’re already plotting our next walk.