Yesterday I was out with the intrepid folk of the local churches' walking group for the (delayed) monthly walk.  The route had been chosen carefully to take account of the time of year and had been checked out twice during the preceding week or so to ensure it was safe enough.

So, off we set, walking from Glasgow to Milngavie along canal, riverside and a teeny bit of road to link it in places.  It was the kind of walk that on a summer's day would be a leisurely stroll but on compacted and sheer ice became something of an adventure.  The one person with crampons (show off!) walked on unimpeded and the Canadian member of the group seemed unfazed by walking on ice; the rest of us gingerly stepped along the edges where the ice had given way to muddy slush, slid and slithered and enjoyed the challenge to varying degrees.  Walking poles found new purpose as a means of providing assistance to those caught the 'wrong side' of an ice slick, and at various points unusual or unorthodox techniques were adopted by various walkers.

With various opt-out points along the way, the original group of 14 dwindled to 7 by the time we reached journey's end at the pub, by which time many of us had slipped, slithered, slid and er, landed on our behinds.  Thankfully there were no injuries (though one of my folk did comment he had wondered just who had the spare sermon on hand in case I returned with several broken limbs).

As we enjoyed our diet cokes and chips with whatever (balanced diet), we postulated that maybe this was the parable of the workers in the vineyard in reverse - those who walked least gained the same reward as those who walked most.  Don't know about that, but as one person observed, all of us had walked on water (albeit frozen, albeit frozen water on a path) that day.  I found myself recalling a line from the hymn 'Thy hand , Oh God, has guided' and altering slightly from" the faithful few fought bravely" to "the faithful few walked bravely"

And so we have, with apologies to E H PLumptre, complete with absolutely horrednous dogerrel scanning and rhymes...

Along the canal towpaths

Covered with hard packed ice

The faithful few walked bravely

And slipped just once or twice

But they emerged triumphant

At Tesco in Milngavie

And sat down at the Cross Keys

For chips and diet Coke!