Sunday 26/11/2023

As the sun came up this morning it momentarily cast long golden shadows across the field I can see from our window and set the autumn leaves on fire, a majestic sight.  By the time we got out on the road the clouds may have drifted in but they were quite high, with patches of blue sky dotted about.

It was cold and still and pure walking weather, so much so that we did both of the longer loops we sometimes do, simply to postpone returning home.

Sturdy trees, their pale grey trunks cloaked in vibrant mosses, bright yellow gorse which seemingly never stops flowering unless it gets really cold, and the road beckoning us on....just a little further....just round this bend.......

On the spur of the moment yesterday, legs a bit restless, dog number one and I set off for Bennachie. Another cold cold morning but bright as we left Rowantree Car Park (the only one where you don`t have to pay 👍) 

It offers the boskiest approach to the hill  

such that when you finally emerge above the trainline the views almost take you by surprise.

For no particular reason decided not to head for the very top but instead took a right turn to walk across a path not just less travelled but in my case I`m pretty sure never travelled which took us across the flanks of the hill, a long circuitous occasionally boggy path, pausing (and posing) at cairns and making the very best of the clear day.

In the last of the light this evening took the dogs for a scamper on our top field: it was very cold, very still, the sky was on fire in the west

while everywhere else lights twinkled and sparkled. I stood still to take it all in and at that moment two long skeins of geese passed overhead in quick succession, calling into the icy air. Doesn`t get much better. A good weekend`s walking.