A walk up the road and down to the Averon River (6.6 miles)
I went for a wee walk up our road on a very frosty, icy day.
At the mile point is this marker tree. I call it Charlie’s tree because every time he came up the road he would touch its root.
This is the said root. I touch it each time now.
I went on to the first bridge. Up here is a tree and I don’t remember which one that Mairi called the perfect tree.
These are ice drops on the fence wire.
Or, this could be the perfect tree.
The road was just all ice. The postman could not get up today.
This waterfall comes from a very gloomy wee loch above it. There is an ancient rusty car in it. I haven’t a clue how it got there.
There used to be another old car over the edge here, not of quite such ancient vintage. There was a lovely stone bridge but it was removed and replaced with a conduit for the logging lorries to get past.
Here is the way down to the Averon. I think its a few years since being down here. The other tracks I walk often. We took the children here quite a few times. Beinn Tharsuinn is showing beyond the track. Trees have been cleared since I last came down here. It was thick forest.
This deer watch tower wasn’t around when I was last here. There was one a bit further down but its no longer there! I had to go up it.
Ardross Castle can be just made out through the trees.
Using the camera’s zoom capability shows it up, if a bit blurry.
It’s like Lothlorien down here. Quite wonderful.
And at last down to the Averon. I thought I’d have been the only person here but I was following three sets of footprints. It was ten to three and already the light is going out the day. At our latitude 57.705°N there is 13 minutes more light today than there was on the shortest day, December 21st. I’m longing for spring but its not long till there will be an hour on the day (January 19th) and the snowdrops will be coming through soon.
A bit further along there is a field in the middle of the woods! It comes as a surprise and there is this track leading out from here past the burned out ruin at Dalreoch. Its a way I often go.
The puddles freeze over in such interesting formations.
Then you come to a wee fishing hut for the posh anglers. I made use of it to have my wee picnic. It was now ten past three.
And a bit further on you come to one of the fishing bridges over the Averon. I had to go over it. The footsteps went over it and my track from then on was untrampled.
Wellies are the job. This is the strange construction of the bridge.
The light is really going and the camera compensates. The picture quality suffers. This is another route out.
Then the track gets really wild. I love this bit.
And finally we come back to the main track – another way out. Mairi and I walked it just last week.
Most of the time you are in the wood and don’t see the river. There is a seat here with a view. Too cold and too dull for sitting today.
And down to the Raven’s Rock fishing beat. It is to the left here but I’m going right. Mairi and I often came on our bikes when she was still at school. These were special days.
The curve to the left would go down to Aggie’s bridge where another burned out ruin was. It had been demolished though the more modern extension still stands. But I’m heading straight up.
This goes up to the Archery track and then would come out at Charlie’s tree.
And we’ve come round to above Newbridge.
I could have gone home by going up the fields and down the road. I chickened out because its quite strenuous.
I don’t know what the name of this place is. A pleasant English couple live here. We often have a blether with them if we walk past here.
And onto the Struie Road above Newbridge.
At this time of year you can avoid walking on the road by following the field. Much safer. Home is somewhere below that pylon.
Everything is totally frozen.
And the bottom of our road.
Contullich farmhouse.
And the burned out Contullich Farm. Is everything burned out round here! This was set on fire by horrible youths just last summer.
And finally at twenty past four I’m home after a simply wonderful walk. Taking this photo shows how dark it is and how the camera has been compensating.
So that’s the first webpage of 2018. What does the year hold?
A good new year to all who read this.