Tuesday 15.09.2020

 Old Dog doesn`t often come round the woods with us now, not least because it takes nearly twice as long to go at her less-than-snail`s-pace.

Half blind and deaf with a tendency to fall over if she sneezes too hard she is nevertheless game for short walks but only the occasional long one, preferably with no hills.

The weather must be just right and there must be time so yesterday afternoon was perfect: a warm, still early autumn afternoon with time to let her sniff at every tussock of grass, every tree root, every rabbit hole.

Nothing stirred in the woods, not a stalk of grass, not even at the tops of the trees. The only thing moving was the very high white cloud, drifting almost imperceptibly overhead. 

It makes a change to stroll very slowly but it was just right yesterday, Old Dog had a lovely time and if I can still walk round like that at her age* I`ll be very happy.

*I`m told the old way of counting dog years is wrong so apparently I am her age. So that`s alright then.

Today it has poured with rain all morning but now the sun is out, it`s very warm and everything is steaming slightly.

Another gentle stroll just onto the top of our hill might be in order......

11.09.2020

 A quintissential autumn afternoon after a morning`s heavy rain, down here in Lennoxtown where we`re at the end of a week`s dog-sitting.

The sun was warm, the Campsie Fells freshly laundered

and the track on the way back beside the river, along the old rail track as atmospheric as ever: old bridges and tumbledown walls speaking of bygone eras

overlooked by lichen covered trees that only add to the slight sense of mystery.

On misty evenings,  no doubt, the odd ghost train must glide silently past.

Meanwhile, the first half of September has  lived up to the Keatsian truisms of fruitfulness.

The leaves are on the turn, the slightest breeze sending the first few tumbling to the ground. We may be promised a week of warmer weather but there`s no doubt we`re heading towards the long dark nights....and who knows how that`s going to go in this strange and uncertain reality.

Onwards and upwards and back to the north tomorrow!

 This morning managed the usual early round-the-back-field trek with both dogs before storm Francis arrived and it deluged for the rest of the day (still is).

Strange times weather-wise. A series of days which began shrouding us in cloud and ended in beautiful late summer sunshine, long shadows and quite exquisite light.

Then yesterday morning it was clear and fresh and dog 2 and I took an early morning scramble round the woods. Soaking feet (it had rained overnight) but invigorating. 

Though the beasts are still out - and curious - 

it was noticeable that the shadows were longer than they would have been at the same time a few weeks ago and the rowan berries were a vivid reminder that autumn`s nearly here. 

 

Then yesterday afternoon we had a slow, short ramble around the woods at Bennachie. I`d forgotten about this beautiful little bridge

though we didn`t linger due to an onslaught of midges enjoying the still damp air....and us!

Saturday 8.8.2020

 Completely perfect summer morning up on the hill very early. A small smudge of white cloud hung near the waning moon in an otherwise clear blue sky. Not a breath of wind and the long grasses sparkled in the morning dew. Three birds sat atop the old "lightning" tree at the back of the top field - a yellowhammer and two linnets - and hardly missed a beat as we strolled by. One of those mornings to remember when were buried under several feet of snow and there`s a blizzard blowing.

Hopefully that`s a few months of yet and in the meantime we make the best of what we`re given: yesterday another brief visit to New Aberdour beach where we may have seen otters playing on the rocks which rather surprised us and has yet to be confirmed.

There have been other walks this past week in the woods but basically it`s been a story of recovering from the big haul up Lochnagar last Friday. The weather was (as promised!) perfect, sunny and warm but with a fresh breeze to keep the flies away.   Although the car park was rammed and along with dozens of other people we had to park on the roadside (which it should be noted added an extra quarter of a mile to the walk - an important factor on the way back) the mountain and the loch are big enough to spread everybody out so it didn`t feel crowded.

Through the trees at the bottom and soon out on the track with the younger members of the four man party powering ahead (plus the newest, youngest dog to have temporarily joined the household - the two older ones holding the fort back home).  

Plenty of chances to admire the views (i.e. take a breather)

and then it was onwards and upwards,

over the last few boulders  

and finally, thankfully, onto the plateau which leads to the top.

 

Despite the beautiful day it was blowing a hooley and suddenly felt quite chilly so after the obligatory we-made-it pics

it was time to hightail it down the other side,

looking forward, as has become the tradition, to the riverside rest, recuperation and picnic (the cold water on the feet absolute bliss and sausages cooked in the open air always the best).

Then downwards

and, after a brief (not entirely intentional) dip in the waterfall for some of us 

onwards for the long final trudge through trees, over bridges and back by the Loch, looking particularly splendid in the late afternoon sunshine.

And the biggest killer was that last extra quarter of a mile back to the distantly parked car!

However, despite sore feet and, variously, depending on age and condition, aching legs/knees/backs it was a memorable day.

Thursday 30.07.2020

To take up the story from last Sunday: the world didn`t stop, the morning promised a beautiful day and someone said - "Let`s do the three peaks." 

Should be stressed we weren`t about to set off south and do the  Three Peaks (Snowdon, Scafell Pike and back for Ben Nevis which apparently people often manage within 24 hours!)

No,this is our own little three peak walk on Bennachie- Mither Tap, Oxen Craig and Craigshannoch.

So a select group of three plus 2 dogs from the current household set off.

First observation was how crowded it was - school holidays, lockdown release, lovely day - why not? It was good to see so many people out and it afforded plenty of opportunity for sneaky breathers as we  all politely waited to pass each other.

Having survived the steepish haul up to Mither Tap, the rest of the walk seems quite gentle, views across the plateau keeping us going.

Although Oxen Craig is the higher peak the final pull up is nothing like so arduous as Mither Tap,but the vistas are equally stunning.

.

And from there it`s pretty much downhill all the way                                                                          

 

until we turn onto the bottom track and into the woods, 

with glimpses of where we`d been through the trees.

The day held up magnificently and after the four hour trek we felt we`d deserved the ice creams bought on the way home. We may not have planned the expedition but serendipity with a touch of spontaneity had won again.

And this proved even more to be the case the next day. The rain set in and so when dogs were finally persuaded to venture abroad we decided on a shorter walk than normal, turning left into a patch of woodland we haven`t explored for years, rather than turning right further up into our usual hunting ground.

The roads were running in water when we set off 

but the rain was quite gentle, not unpleasant for sloshing along in. Dogs relished a change of scene - and smell - and indeed, there was a very different atmosphere in amongst these trees, on one side the usual pine trees but on the other the strangest looking structures, trees, yes, pine trees, yes, but with the needles stripped and instead the branches covered in lichen giving them a distinctly eerie, unearthly appearance.

Could be, having just finished watching Cursed** on Netflix where mysterious, frequently quite violent things happen in the woods, that senses were somewhat heightened but it wasn`t hard to imagine, in the rain and mist, that these woods had magic in them at the very least........

As we emerged and turned back down the road, the wind sprang up, the rain began to fall much harder and the rest of the day - and night - was spent sheltering from the deluge.

For the rest of the week, as the black clouds began to clear leaving only occasional showers normal service was resumed: early morning and late afternoon walks around the top field, walks in the woods, with only sideways glances into the ghostly depths of the other one as we pass.......

And this morning we trotted around ahead of the forecast rain, a grey but still quite high blanket of cloud overhead, the air very still - even the wind turbines weren`t moving- and the bird song muted.

The rest of the day will be spent preparing for a planned walk tomorrow up into the proper mountains. They have absolutely promised us a day of perfect weather. 😂😂😂😂

**https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8210856

Sunday 26.7.2020

Loving these very early freshly minted mornings and though we didn`t go up to the woods today - or haven`t been yet anyway - just over the top field was a feast for the eyes, ears and nose (if ears and noses can enjoy feasts). Not a breath of wind; contrasting greens and golds as far as the eye could see; the sky full of clouds - greys and whites with patches of blue in between and, in the distance, low-lying mist obscuring the wind turbine towers so the blades seemed to float gently on top.
Add to that the fresh air and birdsong and the world could have stopped right there.

Sunday 19.7.2020

More walking than writing just now, well writing on here anyway (see latest review @ http://splendiferousstoriesheadyideas.blogspot.com )

Anyway, there have been walks a-plenty, this morning being one of the best, out very early on a bright blue day with a cool breeze dispersing the flies, rabbits scurrying into the undergrowth away from Dog 2 who scampered about like a puppy while the cows watched in their usual curious but slightly detached way.

There have been walks on warm afternoons when the butterflies swarmed everywhere - clouds of these little brown ones -

although you do need the fly deterrent on those days.

And there were a lot of flies - there do seem to be more than usual this year - as we made it up Bennachie again, this time up through the woods from the Rowantree car park.

Fortunately further up there was fresher air and fewer flies and as usual he views from the top made it all worthwhile.