Today I needed a physical workout so for some reason I decided that I would head for the summit of Win Hill which I had not surmounted in a long while. I planned to approach it from the hamlet of Aston and knew there'd be a two mile incline - upwards all the way. Yes it was a good old schlep.
Wild rhododendron blooms by the path to Win Hill
She was from Reading west of London and had never been to The Peak District before. Standing on the top of Win Hill, I was able to explain several features of the landscape to her. I take my intimate knowledge of the area for granted. During our conversation, I used the term "schlep" and had to explain it to her as she had also never heard it before. Thus the candle flame of schlepping lit in England by Steve Reed has been passed on to the leafy suburbs of Reading.
My descent was less arduous than the ascent and I hardly stopped at all. I guess that I wasn't schlepping then but even so I was pleasantly weary when I got back to my silver machine (a.k.a. Clint).
"the candle flame of schlepping lit in England" -- hahahahaha!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that tickled you Debra.
DeleteNice shot of the summit and the valley below.
ReplyDeleteYou do get good all-round views from Win Hill.
DeleteThat's a nice schlep, though one can also schlep downstairs for a coffee.
ReplyDeleteOne could schlep through another angry blogpost at "I Should Be Laughing".
DeleteThere is the Jiddish/German word schleppen which means to carry a heavy load. This load can also be oneself which one has to schlep somewhere, especially uphill. A former American neighbour used to say "Life can be a schlep".
ReplyDeleteHilde in Germany
Thank you for this input Hilde.
DeleteI would have thought trekking more suited to uphill and schlepping for coming down. "Schlep on down" to London and visit....it's a great word.
ReplyDeleteI think of trekking as being a largely flat activity - like the wagon trains that headed west in North America. You might need schlepping with a wet haddock.
DeleteI was with you until you mentioned 'Wholewheat' spaghetti. It just doesn't taste right; ask any Italian!!!
ReplyDeleteMy "partner" and I have grown to prefer wholewheat spaghetti... and if I want to know about spaghetti I will ask the Chinese!
DeleteIf you can find a Chinaman who eats Wholewheat Spaghetti, I would love to hear his opinion.
DeleteThe Chinese invented spaghetti - not the Italians. Do you want the 1.3 billion Chinese people to line up outside your Brighton house or join you in rural France?
DeleteNice Ponticum photo. It's a great year for flowers.
ReplyDeleteBut I did not show you an image of my ponticum!
DeleteI am honored to have contributed a smidgen of Yiddish to the British vocabulary! (Which is funny because I'm not Jewish!) Schlep is commonly used in America, meaning both to carry a heavy object ("I had to schlep it home") or, as you used it, to describe an arduous journey ("It was a schlep"). You and your Asian fellow hiker will find it is a very useful word. :)
ReplyDeleteWith your use of Yiddish terms, I automatically assumed that you were Jewish Steve. Anyway, through "schlep" you have achieved a measure of immortality.
DeleteYes. That is how I've always heard it used. Well, mostly. A long haul involving carrying something.
DeleteI am surprised you didn't know the word schlep. Generally most of my walking is now schlepping. (English Asian = Australian Indian) (English courgette = Australian zucchini). That's a very nice rocky knob.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your contribution Andrew (English: Knobhead).
DeleteI'm not sure I've heard/seen the word schlep in English before, but in Swedish we have similar words (v. släpa, n. släp, ) to do with dragging something heavy.
ReplyDeleteInteresting connection.
DeleteLooks like a great walk. Somedays that is what we really need.
ReplyDeleteI kind of wanted the uphill pain yesterday. Giving my body a more taxing workout.
DeleteI am familiar with schlep and schlepping. I like these words very much.
ReplyDeleteI would not mind schlepping with you Deb!
DeleteLOL..... come on over, we'll schlep around my neighborhood.
DeleteWon't the neighbours complain when they see us schlepping?
DeleteWe use schlep to mean carrying something heavy or cumbersome so you could schlep up or done if you had to lug a large bag with you.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos!
Schlep could be sleep from someone with a speech impediment.
DeleteIt comes from the German 'schleppen' which means to tow, drag or haul. I knew my German degree would come in handy one day! Taken over into Jiddish too. It's a word I use all the time.
ReplyDeleteAh, that's interesting. You are saying that the word began in Germany.
DeleteBeautiful series of photos. Thank you so much for sharing. Warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. My paternal grandparents were born in Kent, England. I love the background on your blog as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by Linda and hello to Montreal or as they say in Montreal, "Bon jour!"
Deletesclep schlip every trip......
ReplyDeleteIsn't that what Jimmy Savile said?
DeleteMonica has mentioned the Swedish term, and it is really easy for Germans to recognise it as the same term we use, schleppen. I usually schlepp (with a double p in German) my big suitcase across the street from St. Pancras to King's Cross when I'm on my way from Germany to Yorkshire by train. But in figurative speech, some people schlepp themselves through their day-to-day lives with great difficulty while others just happily skip through their days.
ReplyDelete