I remember a postman coming to deliver stuff to a house in a field. It was at least a ten mnute walk there, from the gate on the road, and he was always cheerful. He didn't attempt it when the weather was bad and now there's a little road been built, to the cottage, up through the woods. It still doesn't have mains water or electric, though. So getting through at all costs is a postman's ethos, from the old days. (This was long before Mailsort rubbish, of course).