A Walk In The Slaughters

The Slaughters

Perfect for a family walk, the easy trail between the Slaughters is about a mile in length. At the time, everyone except the two year old could walk the entire trail. Since it’s unpaved, the trail is unfit for strollers, so we used an Ergo. (The trail wasn’t very busy, either, though that might have just been because of the rain!)

It was a dreary September day, when the sky was dark and the smell of rain was in the air. Our destination was the Lower Slaughters. From there, we would continue to the Upper Slaughters – hopefully before the rain hit. Looking up at the constantly darkening sky, I had my doubts, but that was all the more reason for the family to hurry. After wrestling the two toddlers into the car, we realized that we had forgotten the raincoats, and judging by the sky, it looked as if we might need them.

We followed the trail down a narrow lane, filled with muddy puddles of water from the recent rain, and entered a field. The two youngest started a game of ‘Go, Go, Go, Stop’ and the whole family joined in – until the first raindrops started to fall. They came slowly at first, but we knew the storm would escalate. Hurrying along the path, we reached the trees, just as the clouds burst over our heads. As a result, we were thoroughly soaked, and as we went on, the shower turned into a downpour. We walked into Upper Slaughter completely drenched.

The Way Back

As we sheltered in an alcove, we took out our provisions, munching them as we talked. When the rain stopped, we headed back. Passing through a gate, we spotted a large blackberry bush. Picking handfuls of them, we ate them until our mouths turned purple. On the way back to the car, we decided to take a different trail. This trail, instead of going through the muddy lane, took us beside a wood. We spotted a yellow snail and successfully avoided a wasp’s nest.