An Easy Stroll on a Lovely Day

It’s such lovely weather at the moment, so it was no hardship to go for a longer stroll. Going passed the quarry it was good to see dozens of sand martins swooping and chattering around a good many nest holes. I continued along my usual route through woodland and around the loch before taking the track behind the Big House before taking the track straight ahead.

Blossom

A different view of the loch

Another different view of the loch

Through the trees

Jurassic Lane, not going that way today

Onwards track

Blue skies

Gorse

After passing by the pheasant pens I took the right hand track over the ford and up the little hill. There was a moment of disquiet when I could hear chainsaws working nearby and I was concerned I would get up to the High Road and not be able to continue, but it became clear they were working in the small copse below, so I was able to continue as planned.

As I walked along the High Road, I became aware of a tractor, trundling towards me. I took evasive action and headed for the undergrowth. Shortly after this had passed me, another came trundling along. I have only seen one other vehicle on this track, so was a little miffed to find myself heading for the undergrowth again, but the driver was one I see regularly around the estate and he gave me a big wave and a cheery smile. As I wondered further along, it occurred to me the next 100m section of track had no escape should another tractor happen along, but none did and I continued on across the bridge and then down the little quiet green lane to bring me out just before the farm yard. At this point, I rejoined my usual track to cross the little bridge, go behind the cottages and then up passed the nest site to check on the birds – they’re still there, which is good.

Continuing through the trees

Through the trees some more

And a little more

Big blue skies!

Trying out my boots at a ‘ford’ (we all know a proper ford is boots off up to your knees in water!)

Yup, we’re good

Roughly centre pic you can see the green lane I’m headed for

Over the bridge

Moss and ivy on the bridge

Cows in the distance

Dead tree

Another dead tree

Just above centre you can see the track I came down

Altyre Burn

Green Lane

Little hills in the distance

Cowslips

Mossy tree trunk

The sand martins on my way back

As I approached my usual turn off, I was disappointed to see a dog walker take me track and I didn’t want to walk behind them, so I took an unintended longer route and went up through the woods and on to the Dava Way to come out the Dallas Dhu Distillery. From there, I briefly joined the road before nipping into the woods to come back to the quarry and the road home.

The furthest I’ve walked to date, post surgery, albeit without a pack, roughly 10.1 miles and 615 ft and on an utterly beautiful day.