It’s August, it’s another high reaching number in a string of heatwave days and we are coastal bound. A whole community day trip to Eastbourne is on the cards - to walk a portion of the Seven Sisters coastal walk, finishing the day soaking up the last of the sun and the iced coffee at Eastbourne pier. Walking a near 10km portion of the chalk cliffs, the group made its way across the undulating track down to the National Trust site at Birling Gap for a lunch stop and back again in time to finish with a swim back down in Eastbourne. And as we make tracks back to the big city, I feel alive - the ‘coastal breeze swept the cobwebs away’ kind of alive. The ‘popping colours so resonant, my eyes are new levels satisfied’ alive. But most of all an alive that comes only from kindred connection found in such an unlikely community, formed from all corners of the world. This is alive.
One of our Gather women, Aditi penned a most beautiful response to the day - have a read over here.
Photos © Lisa Cumming.