French Creek foot bridge

I spend the day in the house working. There are interludes for coffee, washing machine and reheated pizza. My host's wife drops by to ask if I can feed the cat. It's grey outside and cool in the house, but she asks if I'm going to make the most of this "lovely day".

At four I head out. It's really warm and humid outside. I go to French Creek and walk along the "natural surface" trail that is studded with manhole covers.

The smell is amazing - wood, water and earth all compressed into a thick syrup of spring. Amazingly there are still slabs of snow here and there, too.

There's an old wooden covered bridge (big in this part of the world for some reason). A gunpowder works from the revolution. The dam for the mill that used to be downstream has collapsed, but there are interpretation panels. In the fifties folk used to come here to swim; there was soda and a juke box. It all ended during a polio epidemic.

Now it's a woody walk along a creek. There are a couple of massive wireless masts, thin fabrications stretching well over a hundred feet straight up, supported by wires tied to cast concrete. There are large wooden houses - creek living - and you can hear the sounds of life and play. People are fishing, walking dogs, even cycling, but it's by no means busy. Tranquil.

There are puddles and mud, but in civilised quantities. In one puddle a Galsworthy-like structure of piled stones sits unnoticed. There are foot bridges, solid wood and metal structures, recently built, but incorporating a patina of rust.

I retrace my steps and go to Kimberton. I haven't ever eaten a Kimberton Inn, which has an expensive looking menu, and decide to try it. I don't get a good feel from the place, so I turn around sharply and go instead to the Station Bistro a more casual, organic eatery on the other side of the road. A good choice.

Back in Phoenixville I take a stroll downtown. Stable 12 is busy and brightly lit, so I walk on by. Instead of a beer, I drop into a Hispanic grocery and buy a Mexican rice pudding ice lolly, complete with sultanas and cinnamon.

Back at the house I make a hot chocolate and a chamomile tea.