It’s been almost a year since my last visit to Vivian Ewing’s Where Our Journey Begins. At the time of that visit, the region was dressed for winter 2022, and I wanted to catch it before the autumnal setting vanished in favour of something more in keeping with the turn of the year – and in the process adding autumn to my previous posts on the region, I will have now covered all four seasons at the region.
For autumn, Vivian has turned to a palette of hues and colours common to the time of year – yellows, browns, splashes of greens, reds and so on, which extend into the environment settings for the region as well, the sky cast in bronze on the horizons, darkening as it moves overhead before brightening once more, the clouds a patina of orange and yellow, dark underbellies hinting at the prospect of rain.
And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep, and autumn was awakened. Immerse yourself in a world full of autumnal colours and peace.
– Where Our Journey Begins, autumn 2023
To the north the lands are raised, curtain walls of cliffs helping to both separate them and bind them with the off-region surround to east and west. A tramway bursts forth from the western cliffs, exiting a tunnel mouth to pass between the tall arms of a grand wrought-iron bridge raised on tall stone-faced plinths as they across the river splitting the land in two from north to south, in the process spanning a shallow valley as it cups the waters in its arms.
Across this bridge – which is joined in spanning the river valley by an equally wide boardwalk on its own row of footings as it forms a pleasant place on which to stroll and watch the activities on the water below – sits a small borough fashioned around a central square. The modern 2- and 3-storey buildings arranged around three sides of the square suggest that this is part of a larger township even whilst it stands alone. The square itself is given over to a very pleasant café with seating indoors our under its broad awning. With the local clock tower standing guard alongside the café and the screen of surrounding trees illuminated by strings of lights winding through their boughs with leave turned to rust, it the square has a certain sense of romance about it.
Facing the café is a brick-built rich providing access to a shoulder of hill sitting above the river. The arch provides access to a path as it meanders around the hilltop, providing a suitable walk for lovers complete with a romantic folly presiding over things at the top of a raised thumb of rock. Those taking the path with find it circles half-way around the folly on its proud seat, then descends down towards the river.
Here the waters appear to have narrowed rapidly after passing beneath the bridge to the north, the ground lush with grass, the water a narrow ribbon running between banks. However, looks can be deceptive – as the slender boardwalk running out from behind a riverside deck and hot tub quickly reveals. Rather than growing along the eastern bank of the river, the grass in fact marks the presence of a lush, shallow wetland extending out into the main channel of the river, a wetland which continues south, trees rising from its waters and its actual edge marked by a drystone wall as it borders the track running south from the foot of the folly’s hill.
A second narrow boardwalk spans the river towards its southern end, where the lowlands spread outwards to east and west, looking like golden pastures while again actually being a mix of solid ground and wetland under the carpeting of grass. To the west, the lowlands flow past another raised shoulder of land bordered on two of its remaining side by the aforementioned stream (itself crossed by a very sturdy wooden bridge which has seen much use / repair over the years). This triangle of land is home to a small ranch / farm, complete with a horse rezzer for those wishing to take a ride.
Those who do might try their hand at herding the cattle wandering along the local track – or perhaps head south and east to see if they can persuade the cows grazing out on the grass of the lowlands that it is perhaps time to come home! If such an exercise does not appeal, then a walk / ride along the dirt road running east will bring visitors to a low-slung bridge spanning the narrow neck of an inlet cutting into the land. With an old wooden gazebo and a hut-like tent offering places of retreat, this is again perhaps a location for those with a romantic heart.
With a modest farmer’s market (with a touch of quirkiness in it – those staffing the stalls appear to be some of the local deer and squirrel populace!) also sitting along the track leading to the inlet, these is much more to be found along the southern side of the region than might initially appear to be the case. As always, Vivian has certainly created a rich, photogenic setting ripe for exploration and spending time within – so enjoy it before winter steps in!
SLurl Details
- Where Our Journey Begins (Ilha Ipanema, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 