Saturday 3 April 2021

Stairway to Heaven

 Continued from Good Friday (yesterday)

Turning back home again from my walk to the lake yesterday, I decided to take a "shortcut" which is at the same time also a little bit of a challenge. 


I used to climb this footbridge over the railway a bit more often in the past, when it was a convenient shortcut for me to a garden centre on the other side of the tracks, where I used to buy plants for my balcony in spring. But that garden centre closed (moved) a few years ago, and now it's been a while since I last went that way. But back when I did, the first time in early spring also used to feel like kind a "fitness test" after winter...


It's quite a sturdy construction, though, and I appreciate that it has "closed" steps. (Not fond of heights, I hate the "open" kind of stairs that you can see through...)

This time, I manged to walk up the 40+ steps in a flow without stopping, which in my book (with asthma and allergy etc) means passing the test. ;)

Views from the top, looking north-east (towards the city centre):


View looking south-west, and with the stairs leading down again on the other side:


Safely back on the ground again. By now my knee was muttering a little; but on the other hand (I told it), not all that much further to walk before being home again. The alternative would have been the "long route" in either direction to a road crossing - on flat ground, but a longer walk.

6 comments:

  1. I hate open steps as well. You must be very fit, likely all your walks really help. I cannot do any steps. We went into a store yesterday where the entryway had one big step. They had to bring out a ramp for me.

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    1. That must be difficult for you, Ginny. I have a friend since way back who needs an electric wheelchair to get around, walking with her always gave one new perspectives on "accessibility"... I've had more trouble with a knee on and off periodically myself and even that is enough to make things difficult. Thankfully this past year I've been able to walk where I've needed to go, though (have avoided the bus for over a year now, because of corona!)

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  2. Those steps are quite amazing I love the last few of them it shows exactly how they built them. I think I could go up and down them but I'm not sure how fast it would be. And I love the view from atop but I don't think I would want to be on them when a train went underneath. I am with you closed in with side railings I can do

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    1. Sandra, the empty freight wagons seen in these pictures were not moving but standing still. (I can't recall if I ever happened to be up on that bridge when a train passed underneath.) I did not walk fast up the stairs just tried to keep a steady rhythm without stopping. (But obviously I did stop for a bit once I was up there, to take photos...)

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  3. I admire your fitness, Monica. I wouldn't enjoy that at all although I think I'd make it with a stop or two. Going down the other side might be worse, my knees don't like going down steps. I remember being on an overhead bridge when one of those old steam trains passed underneath - it wasn't pleasant.

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    Replies
    1. Pauline, I know what you mean - for knees and leg muscles, going down is often worse than going up!

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