So, I decided to check out this place folks kept mentioning, Champagne Hill. Sounded kinda fancy, right? Didn’t really know what to expect, just heard the name floating around.
Packed a small bag one Saturday morning. Nothing major, just water, some snacks, you know, the usual stuff for a day trip. Didn’t even check directions too closely, figured I’d find it easily enough. That was probably mistake number one, but hey, that’s how I roll sometimes.
Got in the car and started driving. Took a couple wrong turns, ended up on some bumpy back roads. GPS was acting weird. Started thinking maybe this whole thing was a bad idea. Felt a bit stupid, just chasing a name.
Getting There Was Half The Battle
Finally saw a sign, barely readable, pointing up this steep dirt track. Parked the car at the bottom, wasn’t sure if it would make it up. Looked up the hill. It was just… a hill. A pretty big one, covered in dry grass. Looked kinda golden in the sun, maybe that’s where the ‘champagne’ part came from? Not sure.
Started walking up. It was tougher than it looked. Huffed and puffed my way up, shoes getting dusty. Reached the top after maybe 30 minutes. The view was actually pretty decent. Could see for miles around. Valleys, farms, a river snaking through it all. It was quiet up there. Really quiet.
What I Found
- Just open space.
- A few rocks to sit on.
- Lots of wind.
- That golden-looking grass everywhere.
Sat there for a good while. Just sat. Didn’t think about much. It wasn’t fancy. There was no champagne, obviously. But it was peaceful. Needed that peace, actually. Things had been kinda hectic lately, lots of noise back home and at work. Just constant demands, you know?
It reminded me of this time years ago when I just quit a job without another lined up. Everyone thought I was crazy. Spent a week just wandering around town, sitting in parks. People probably thought I was losing it. But it was like hitting a reset button. This hill felt a bit like that. Stripped back, simple.
Stayed until the sun started getting lower. Walked back down, got in the car, drove home. Took the right roads this time. Felt lighter somehow. Champagne Hill. Yeah, not what you’d expect from the name, but it delivered something else. Something quieter. Sometimes that’s better.