Sunday 19.11.2023

 A birthday walk on a calm, dry, mild afternoon, not at all what they forecast but welcome nonetheless. Wheelie bins blown over on the road and far fewer leaves on the trees than the last time we were round the woods so at some point there`s been a bit of a hooley but somehow didn`t notice. Today was all muted colours and autumn scents, the light already beginning to fade though it wasn`t so late. 

 Could be we missed the windy day because we spent it slumped, recovering from a Walk, as in a long walk with a proper name, which himself, whose birthday weekend it is, suggested as a way of marking the event. 

Portsoy to Buckie along the Aberdeenshire/Moray Coast is known as the Six Harbours Walk. Every year a charity walk along the route is organised by a local Rotary club ( https://www.sixharbourwalk.com )

but it`s a simple enough route to follow - as long as you keep the sea on the same side the whole way. 😉

We set off on a cold, brilliant morning and stepped out briskly to try and warm up, Couldn`t have picked a better day for it - clear vistas all round.

The track is easy to follow though occasionally veers away from the immediate coastline a little and sometimes, in the kind of slippy conditions we encountered, requires a bit more concentration

but as well as the breathtaking views there is plenty to hold the interest, not least the six eponymous harbours, each with their own character and history. And it`s always good to arrive somewhere on a long walk to discover a tea and coffee trailer you weren`t expecting.........especially when it marks almost exactly the halfway mark.

For the record the coffee (and tea) were excellent and my slice of Bakewell delicious. 👍 

( https://discovercullen.com/coffee-at-the-kings )

Mainly though there was the simple pleasure of walking on a beautiful day, taking lungfuls of icy air and watching the birds wheeling over the water as well as the satisfaction of arriving at the final harbour just as the light was fading. Fish and chips never tasted so good (even if I did overdo it a bit) and it still felt worth it despite the next 24 hours of cramp, aching muscles and creaking joints. 🤣🤣