Steep Climb
19 July 2022

Next to the river front, between two homes, a small pedestrian inlet allows for ascent to the terrace one level up. The whole town is built on a slope next to a river, and so every street ascends a few meters. To get from this street to the next, you can drive the narrow winding roads – or you can climb the stairs. At the base – trendy and modern galleries and restaurants and bistros next to small little holiday cottages or unassuming little homes. At the summit – a street that could be anywhere suburbia, with larger homes and tree lined sidewalks. And between the two – a staircase older than most of the buildings, letting the pedestrians work for their view and their enjoyment. Do some shopping and get home – that’ll be all the cardio you need. And yet there is something charming about the stairs that make them easily as charming as any of the vistas or the attractions.

Peter van der Walt is a fiction author, although you may find some non-fiction and the odd essay out there. Fans can find his newsletter, posts, updates and developments at petervanderwalt.com. Currently, he is hard at work on his next story. When not writing, he has far too many interests to reasonably keep up with. He lives with his partner in Devon, England.