Scotland mostly - through nsl4u

I took a gentle saunter, with blistered feet and well, 'hung over'! (dashed
drink, stupid me!!).
The forest is an amazing grand and intriguing place. The huge ancient pines
give all sorts of forms, and of course go full cycle. Interestingly too,
very healthy trees also drop some really big limbs, but just keep going. The
ceps are amazing aren't they?

I turned at the Cairngorm Club Footbridge, where some 25 years ago, I took a
wrong turning on the Lairig Ghru race, leading by at least 6 minutes and got
'lost'...hmmm - I didn't sleep well for a few weeks; I still remember some
of it too as it unfolded later on! Would have been my first big race victory
as a relatively raw and novice hill runner. I think J Forte in Haddington
had won the Dunfermline half marathon just a few weeks earlier...we were
doing our bit for H.E.L.P. running club.

Cheers, Denis.

Labels: Aviemore, Coylumbridge, Loch Morlich, Rothiemurchus Forest

The Lads covered about 30-35km on some superb, looping trails around the
Loch and into the Rothiemurchus forest.
R, K and C did 32 kms up to the head of the Boulder Field in the Lairig
Ghru, then looping all over the place in the forest too....well deserved
grub and beers afterwards.

Br, Denis.

Labels: Aviemore, Coylumbridge, Loch Morlich, Rothiemurchus

It's there to see and if you excuse me not going through the animals and
birds it highly recommended as a good visit.
Entrapped animals cannot ever be really great to see, but most seem to be
decently happy.

I'd question the range for the wolves and the arctic fox did not look too
content; the wild cats and polecat were also not entirely settled.....but
for us gawpers, how can it be commercialised too differently?.......

If we can learn and appreciate, then maybe there can be more care, and maybe
even a chance for some re-wilding here and elsewhere, where there is a
braveness to see ''there's a place for all creation's beasts''......
The Amur tiger pen is seemingly the biggest in Europe.
Scotland is a wide and lightly habited country.....maybe we can be the place
for large, real, wild-life free-ranging animal parks...?

Life in the raw too, as rabbit bounded for it's life as a stoat chased it,
and made it scream before being outwitted; bright-eyes lives ...the
onlookers were not just us, but the lay-about wild horses also stirred to
see the commotion.

A grey day, enlivened. I think overall worth supporting. Kind regards,
Denis.

Labels: Alvie estates, Aviemore, Rothiemurchus

The castle on Loch an Eilean from the echo rock and some great caledonian
pines to marvel in grandiose pose and with rare undercanopy. Froggy on a wet
ditch side just off the track - not enjoying my handling however gentle (if
it's a wee toad please forgive my amphibious ignorance!). A horse hoof
fungus (wonder why?) and beautifully rugged lumpy bark of an ancient silver
birch.

Along the road at a wee tea room on the edge of Alvie Estates, some rare
cakes and teas/coffees and all the birds to watch on the feeders - red
squirrel, blue tits, great tits, woodpecker, pheasants, chaffinches,
blackbird, etc...very close and exciting even through the glass.....

The Cairngorm Nature Reserve is a classic area and lots to explore. The
Rothiemurchus Forest is just such a wonderful environment.
Go and do it. Live Scotland's grandeur.

Best regards, Denis.

Labels: Aviemore, Rothiemurchus