Re-Visiting The Past

Returning to the village in which I grew up this weekend, brought back lots of memories for me.  I don't always venture into the heart of the village, but on this occasion I took the dog for a walk and captured a few very familiar places on camera, that had particular significance in my childhood.

The first was the lovely village church, which was just across the road from my childhood home.  I spent hours sat on my swing in the garden gazing up at it's spire and trying to swing so high that I could fly over the top of it (in my imagination of course).  I would also keep time by the quarter hour chimes of the church clock.

After parking outside the church and visiting some family graves, I walked on down to a new riverside walk.  I passed the village allotments where my dad had a plot.

The gates just happened to be open and I was tempted to walk in and have a look, but I didn't, as I had the dog with me.  His plot was right near the very end of this path on the left hand side and was one or two plots away from the local football team's ground on the other side of a big wire fence.  I can remember him and I watching them play from his allotment on a Saturday afternoon.

We headed on along the riverside path.  The dog was very keen to get moving.  This path had been built where and old landfill rubbish tip used to stand.  It was always a bit smelly down here, especially in the summer heat, but there was no sign of it now, it is all beautifully landscaped, with lovely paths that take you through the trees and right along the riverside.

You can see the Humber Bridge in the distance.

I spent a little time as a child hanging out with school friends on the grassy banks of the river and the stony foreshore.

It's strange to think that much of my early life was lived largely solely within the parameters of the village.  I found plenty to entertain me thereabouts though and although boredom often occurred, it encouraged you to find things to entertain yourself with or make new friends at the local playing fields.  There was always the threat of parents finding things for you to do if you didn't.

I wandered on past houses where people I knew many years ago had lived, but who lived there no longer.  I wondered where they had moved on to.  Then we walked over the railway bridge.

The station ticket office is now a little tea room.  I used to catch the train to town and work from here on many occasions.  I remember when it was a manned station and can clearly remember the station master and the printing firm that had it's office here.

Sometimes, it is lovely to indulge in a little private reminiscence.  It's amazing what memories pop back into your head when you do.  Although my life has moved on into a completely different phase and place, it's good to remember happy times you had as a child and the fun and mischief you got up to in the summer holidays.

Do you ever revisit places from your past and wonder about where life has taken you?