Saturday, June 24, 2017
Time to put the walking boots on...
When we began to plan walking the West Highland Way seven months ago it seemed a distant event. And now, suddenly, it is here! I think I have prepared fairly well and now I am all packed. I have the blister plasters, sunscreen, midgie repellent, knee and ankle supports quality snacks (and chocolate) and all the other bits and pieces needed for a successful walk. All I have to do now is actually walk it! I will be walking with some wonderful fellow doctors - a Chapter of Doctors, perhaps, and I have no doubt that we will get each other to the end in Fort William. In a moment of confidence loss this morning I said to The Wing Commander, 'What if I don't manage it?' He replied 'You will manage.' Damn, he has good answers! We will all manage and I will keep you up to date with our adventures on here, wifis permitting.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
In Which I Turn Right Instead of Left
Just to be clear this is not a political post!
Today I took Rousay for our usual walk on The Moss but entered at the Myrtle Terrace gate rather than our more common jaunt to the Bruntland Road entrance. The Bruntland Road entrance is an easy walk round 'the loop' but by entering at Myrtle Terrace we have a slightly longer walk through a wilder part of The Moss. Rousay likes this walk as it gives her more scope to roam 'off piste' and leap out at me from heather and gorse hidey places! However, today, instead of turning left onto our usual walk I turned right to explore The Moss more fully.
I have tried this walk before (which is popular with the local professional dog walkers) but as the name (The Moss) suggests it is, in essence, a peat bog and before I ventured very far I became bogged (Ha! See what I did there?) down and as I was wearing trainers at the time I thought better of continuing and turned back to our usual path. Today, however, was dry and the weather has been sunny for a few days so I thought it was worth another try. I have to say it was still very springy underfoot but I didn't sink into a gloopy, peaty puddle!
What an amazing place The Moss is! I have lived nearby for many years and have visited it regularly over the years but this was a new and exciting discovery. The path meanders through the area, sometimes in open heathery plains and sometimes in overgrown pockets that could be a fantastic fairy hide-away for little children to explore. There was even a tree growing ON the path at one point. One branch had grown to the left and one to the right leaving a perfect V-shape for the walker to step through! Even when very close to the passing A90 dual carriageway the heavy tree growth deadens the sound of traffic scooting past and makes you feel like you are in a little oasis of calm.
Rousay had a ball. She was so excited to be able to run in a new area and she loved getting 'lost' among the wild cotton and whin bushes. There was a scarey moment though when 5 large dogs appeared unexpectedly from dense undergrowth. They stopped suddenly while Rousay dropped immediately into a crouch on the ground. With a growl they all approached at once to say hello. Rousay was a bit overwhelmed but coped ok and the pack were friendly. (I did have a moment where I was concerned at their intentions myself!) Their walker soon appeared with another pack on leads! They were all obviously enjoying their walk as much as Rousay.
Parts of the path are very densely overgrown and the 'path' is very narrow. When I suddenly came out into a clearing, which I saw was our normal path around 'the loop' I realised just how hidden this little gem of a walk was. I have passed that path so often and had never spotted it before! Well, it is definitely on our regular walks from now on - weather permitting!
So, for those who need a little encouragement to try something new and to discover the unexpected, please, occasionally, turn right instead of left.
Except in politics.
Today I took Rousay for our usual walk on The Moss but entered at the Myrtle Terrace gate rather than our more common jaunt to the Bruntland Road entrance. The Bruntland Road entrance is an easy walk round 'the loop' but by entering at Myrtle Terrace we have a slightly longer walk through a wilder part of The Moss. Rousay likes this walk as it gives her more scope to roam 'off piste' and leap out at me from heather and gorse hidey places! However, today, instead of turning left onto our usual walk I turned right to explore The Moss more fully.
I have tried this walk before (which is popular with the local professional dog walkers) but as the name (The Moss) suggests it is, in essence, a peat bog and before I ventured very far I became bogged (Ha! See what I did there?) down and as I was wearing trainers at the time I thought better of continuing and turned back to our usual path. Today, however, was dry and the weather has been sunny for a few days so I thought it was worth another try. I have to say it was still very springy underfoot but I didn't sink into a gloopy, peaty puddle!
What an amazing place The Moss is! I have lived nearby for many years and have visited it regularly over the years but this was a new and exciting discovery. The path meanders through the area, sometimes in open heathery plains and sometimes in overgrown pockets that could be a fantastic fairy hide-away for little children to explore. There was even a tree growing ON the path at one point. One branch had grown to the left and one to the right leaving a perfect V-shape for the walker to step through! Even when very close to the passing A90 dual carriageway the heavy tree growth deadens the sound of traffic scooting past and makes you feel like you are in a little oasis of calm.
Rousay had a ball. She was so excited to be able to run in a new area and she loved getting 'lost' among the wild cotton and whin bushes. There was a scarey moment though when 5 large dogs appeared unexpectedly from dense undergrowth. They stopped suddenly while Rousay dropped immediately into a crouch on the ground. With a growl they all approached at once to say hello. Rousay was a bit overwhelmed but coped ok and the pack were friendly. (I did have a moment where I was concerned at their intentions myself!) Their walker soon appeared with another pack on leads! They were all obviously enjoying their walk as much as Rousay.
Parts of the path are very densely overgrown and the 'path' is very narrow. When I suddenly came out into a clearing, which I saw was our normal path around 'the loop' I realised just how hidden this little gem of a walk was. I have passed that path so often and had never spotted it before! Well, it is definitely on our regular walks from now on - weather permitting!
So, for those who need a little encouragement to try something new and to discover the unexpected, please, occasionally, turn right instead of left.
Except in politics.
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