I like to get out every day to “take the air”, either on my bike or on foot. I don’t go far, but it feels important to raise my heart rate, whilst at the same time resting my mind. When I’m walking, I like to take my camera, and photograph some of the sights and sounds of the village. So far on my walks, I’ve headed to the shore and either turned left or right along the coast. Today, for a change, I headed inland and up the hill, though the woods above Lamlash towards Brodick. Heading up the hill out of the village, I tried to keep moving- this is my government sanctioned exercise, but my senses were distracted. Nature is getting on with things while we are in limbo.
The gorse is glorious right now, hillsides are spattered by sunbaked golden yolks of colour, with their coconut perfume carried far and wide on the breeze.
I paused beneath a tall scots pine to try and locate a strident chiffchaff. He eluded me, but a confiding female Chaffinch allowed me to photograph her feeding, and then cleaning her beak on a branch.
Two fat little Dor Beetles nudged each other across the path in front of me so that I had to miss a step to avoid them.
At the top of the hill, I caught my proper first glimpse of the mountains since we went in to Lockdown. They are closed to me now, and my heart ached to see the summits so clear in the sunshine. It would be incredible to be up there today. I wanted to turn away from them, but I forced myself to look. I wondered about the wildlife that lives up there. Are the plants and animals enjoying the peace? Last year a pair of Dotterel spent a week displaying next to a busy path. They moved on, but perhaps this year they will be persuaded to stay and breed? I hope so.
Hope is what we have. Hope for a better day. Hope to be able to meet our friends and family and hug each other again. Hope to be back among the mountains again.
The old saying goes… the mountains will still be there, but we must make sure that we are. For now we must stay home.
