The past two years have brought a lot of challenges, some of which have been devastating, and some more easily overlooked. One thing I’ve noticed beginning to take an increased toll is the lack of options there have been to escape, or “get away from it all”.

Holidays are a blissful luxury many of us may have taken for granted before the pandemic, and since it struck their loss has hardly seemed the most difficult hardship to contend with. But just because they are a luxury doesn’t mean you cannot feel the absence of opportunities to get away.

The current situation has meant a lot of people working harder than ever before, for longer periods of time and without any real break. Sometimes it is not just the time off during a holiday that makes us feel refreshed, but the physical relocation, to somewhere outside your normal area of work and responsibilities.

This may not be possible for a while yet, but recently I have been very much enjoying substitutes on a smaller scale. We have made a habit of taking day trips, choosing a new place an hour or so away and making the trip for a walk, often with a picnic – although these have involved brief stops, warm clothes and hot flasks of tea of late!

I always end up feeling refreshed after one of these trips, and find it wonderful to feel as though I’ve had a bit of an escape from everything, even if not from the weather!