A Walk on the Wild Side

Yesterday we went for a walk on a familiar route.  A farm lane/bridle path that leads into the Pentland Hills just outside Edinburgh.  We regularly walk this path and there is always some eyecatching novelty to stop you in your tracks.  Due to the virus restrictions we haven't been this way for about ages.  The flora and fauna haven't missed us and are thriving.

First to greet us this chicory flower:

Next a novelty I had to look up.  Yes it looks a bit like white ragwort or even blackberry flowers but this is Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica)

Here's a picture with the leaf to help identification

The big attraction is the knapweed which is proving a magnet for many species

Another insect magnet is this:

My best guess is Hawkweed, but "dandelion like flowers" covers an extensive range of plants.  A check of the leaves suggests  Leafy hawkweed (Hieracium umbellatum)

As we get higher a heathland favourite appears

A bank of harebells

Now here is the most camera shy wildflower .  My camera's autofocus is fooled every time I try to get a close up.  It is Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)

The much maligned ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)  is hosting an insect party

Another commonplace plant: Yarrow  (Achillea millefolium)

Looks like Cow Parsley - I reckon this is a Hogweed seedhead

Next a real surprise up on the moor: Wild Basil?

Clinopodium vulgare

Not to confused with White Horehound (Marubium vulgae) found a quarter of a mile further on 

Last to feature although the plant is long gone these Sweet Cicely seeds are hanging on in their characteristic configuration.

Time to head for home.

Whaligoe Again

Belated New Year Greetings. 

Appropriately this is where I was on New Year's Day

The Whaligoe Steps

Appropriate because there are 365 steps from the cliff top to the harbour below at Whaligoe - one for each day of the year.

The harbour below?  Well there used to be one back in the day when herring was king! You would have to be a brave soul to negotiate this harbour.

In case you are wondering the Whaligoe is on the road south from Wick in Caithness (Not so far from John O' Groats)

Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas

As I have reduced my blogs from three to one there are sometimes non veg gardening posts.

Yesterday we set a day aside to climb Ben Lawers and the Beinn Ghlas which is on the approach to Ben Lawers.  It was rather too windy and the rain blew in in waves, but we persisted and were glad we did.  It was reassurring that there were plenty of other people on the hillside.

View from the summit of Ben Lawers

 You can see the ridge path between the two summits clearly in the following picture:

Looking down on Beinn Ghlas and Loch Tay

It took us two hours to drive to Loch Tay, 3 hours to climb to the second summit and 1 1/2 hours on the return to the car, with aching limbs (and especially knees).

Ben Lawers the approach to the summit

A memorable day.

From below

It's back to gardening today.

Soft Fruit - The Gloaming

Today thunderstorms arrived in Edinburgh.  Very pleased to have the allotment watered, but it has been a bit of overkill.  We've had a very dry couple of months and watering anxiety had set in.

Last night we went to the plot and picked just about the last of our soft fruit. Good timing as it turned out. 

Our one mature gooseberry bush has been coming up trumps this year

We also have solitary red and blackcurrant bushes:

We are onto our third variety of strawberry. After Marshmello, Cambridge Favourite (below) we are picking Florence. These last two failed to produce more than slug food for the last couple of wet years, but have justified their stay of execution while the Marshmello settle in.

Another good producer currently is Mange Tout, Oregon Sugar Pod:

You may have detected an absence recently. We've been on holiday where there is no internet - the Highlands:  Here's a snap from Loch Ness. It was a great evening and we stepped out from a celebratory meal at the Dores Inn to this view of the Loch. We were roaming in the gloaming:

Pentland Hills and Reservoirs

Following the Sun

 Just now the Sun never gets too high.  So shadows are long and days are short. Still there's time enough for a ramble in the Pentland Hills just outside Edinburgh

Sunset at 2:30pm???

It doesn't help when the horizon is elevated

Treescape

We enjoyed our circular walk today around the 4 reservoirs: Threipmuir, Harlaw, Glencorse and Loganlea

Threipmuir (taken on 25/12/12)

Glencorse today,  Hogmonay

Loganlea

The way home, gateway from the hills

It's an eight mile round trip and we arrived home happy and a little tired.


Happy New Year to you, wherever you are.