Three Points of the Compass finally gets round to opening a package received in the post over five years ago

I returned home a few days ago, having just completed another National Trail. This was a trail I had intended to walk five years ago, but one thing and another conspired to delay my tackling it. Over nine days in September and October 2024 I finally completed the 135 mile Glyndŵr’s Way. A lonely looping trail that wanders through the hills, moors, forests and pastures of mid-Wales. I’ll write more on the experience in a separate post. But my return home meant that I felt I could finally open a package I received over five years ago.

Natural England is a UK public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and is responsible for England’s natural environment, which includes it’s National Trails. Natural England was formed in 2006 by the amalgamation of the Countryside Agency, English Nature and Rural Development Service. I won’t go into their politics and more contentious practices here, that is perhaps a discussion for another day. As part of their online presence, Natural England operates a website that provides information about the UK’s National Trails.

For some years they have run an online shop on their website, selling various merchandise associated with National and other trails; mugs, fridge magnets, T-shirts, the usual sort of thing. Amongst the usual dross are occasionally rather nice mementoes of a successful completion, amongst these are original wooden trail signs. I show some here, still providing useful service, that I recently photographed on Glyndŵr’s Way National Trail.

As a way of making a bit of money, while also recycling a worn out sign, old wooden pointers are frequently offered for purchase when they are periodically replaced. Money from these sales goes to support the trail they came from. Availability varies and they are sold rapidly. There is often nothing to be purchased, so it pays to check the shop frequently if you have walked a trail and want one of these. It may take years before signs are replaced on trail so may also take years before you are successful in obtaining one.

I checked the website today and see that there are only old signs for the North Downs Way National Trail available. Because they are so infrequently available, it is also possible to order a brand new bespoke sign, that has never been anywhere near a trail, but those don’t interest me.

Condition of the old removed signs varies and different purchase costs reflect this. I always knew I would walk Glyndŵr’s Way eventually and back in 2019 saw that there were a few old signs available, so snapped one up. At the time it cost me £35 including postage, but they cost quite a bit more now. However when it was delivered it didn’t feel ‘right’ displaying it, or even unwrapping it. I felt a bit of a fraud, having never even set foot on the trail. So I tucked it away, not realising it would be another five years before I eventually completed the trail.

So today it got unwrapped. I am delighted with it as it is in far better condition than I thought it might. It went up in the house, opposite my desk and now pointing toward my shelves of maps and guidebooks. Just looking up from my screen is an excellent reminder of a very wet few days, nay, sodden few days! In my dotage, when the knees have finally given up, and I am less capable of getting out on trail, it’ll transport me straight back to the hills. And perhaps in some small way, my purchase went a little way to paying for its replacement. Who knows, I might even have walked past it.