Thursday 5 August 2021

Thursday 8.8.2021

 The most perfect day to be back in the woods after a lengthy hiatus (about which see below). Warm but with a light feathery breeze shaking the barley, 


rustling the trees (ok - it did feel as if they were welcoming me back) and keeping the flies at bay. 

We took it steady (knee damage being one of the reasons for the hiatus) which meant it was possible to really relish not only the delights of the place - flowers and grasses, rowan berries and wild raspberries, bees, butterflies and trees in full summer foliage - but also to pause and be properly appreciative of having this place on our doorstep.


There was one saunter up Bennachie in June to mark a birthday. Took the gentler, bosky ascent from Rowantree

 



with the usual views the reward on a lovely day.




And so the hiatus: a trip south, as south as possible without falling off the edge, to a gloriously sunny Cornwall and a family birthday. A week of truly exceptional weather, breathtaking vistas, sea swimming every day, not to mention the best of company, fine dining and drink! Then there were more family visits to be made during which gallivanting the knee `pinged` and slowed everything down, making, amongst other things, the title of this blog ring a little hollow. 

Change of plans then, which had been to do a long distance walk. As the prescribed exercises for the knee were diligently executed (nearly) every day, an idea formed - to drive to the end of the walk which given the extremely hot weather proved to be a much better idea. Pics taken to prove we`d made it and then down to stay with daughters who had planned a surprise trip to the Isle of Cumbrae.- and here the pics say it all. 😄

May not have been walking-quite-fast but there were moments when we sped-quite-fast along the road, sometimes with canine assistance, mostly with very hard work from the peddlers.  A memorable adventure. The knee is on the mend....the pics may take a little longer to sort through. Watch this space.