Been away

So, regular readers will have noticed I've gone a little quiet over the last couple of weeks. Never fear, nothing's up, just been away gallivanting with Spot. And our tent.

It was great to get away. Okay, so it was different holiday from the last few years for me, what with being "unemployed", but it was still a change of routine and an opportunity to spend some quality time with Spot (I'm just waiting for the comment to that...).

Our initial plan was to stay at Blair Atholl for a few days, but when we arrived, they were full. Well, it was a Saturday and we hadn't booked. So, never defeated, we headed north and stayed in Boat of Garten for 5 nights.

It's a lovely area to visit and walks a plenty. The Speyside way runs through and we did do a stretch of it (regularly back and forward to the local hostelry!!!). It would be one of our perfect places to live, though it does have the feeling of being primarily holidaymakers (like we were, I know, I know) or people who have retired to the area. Pity.

On the Sunday, we worshiped at the local church. The people were warm and friendly. It was such a shame there were no children or young people. From the comments the person leading worship made (it's a recently vacant charge), this is the norm. But, if the people living in the area are mainly retirees or on  holiday...

Of course, being in Boat of Garten warranted a visit to the Osprey centre (again!).We walked there via Loch Mallachie and Loch Garten and, once off the main path the the centre, didn't see anyone else. It was so peaceful, yet filled with all the activity of birds feeding their young, wood ants maintaining their nests and all the other things which go on on a forest.

Odin the Osprey

 All through our stay in Boat of Garten, we wandered to the bridge over the Spey to spot otter. We never managed it, but watched swift, house martin and found a badger sett. Waiting here, with this view wasn't a hardship, though.

View from Boat of Garten Bridge

Being a bridge, we just had to play Poohsticks. On that occasion, Spot won.

We did get to Blair Atholl in the second of our two week holiday. This is such a great area to walk and watch wildlife. We spotted Golden Eagle, deer, and were within 20 metres of a buzzard feeding. That was amazing. And in an area which some think of as being quite busy. It can be, but head half a mile away from the castle or the house of Bruar and there's no one around.

The walk up Glen Tilt was brilliant. A beautiful day, in beautiful scenery. Scotland really is the best country in the world

Yet, even in this seemingly natural landscape, it is very definitely shaped by man. There should be more trees and, as walking up the Glen, we came across abandoned crofts, such as this one. Nature is taking it back, though slowly, as this was abandoned in the 1850s.

Abandoned Glen Tilt Croft

It reminded me, though this is a beautiful landscape, for the average person living here, it was a hard, inhospitable existence. Yet, this was their home until cleared to make way for sheep...

Getting back to Blair Atholl from that walk, we looked back up the Glen and, well, a picture tells a thousand words.

View up Glen Tilt

Of course, no visit to this area is complete without a visit to Bruar Falls. It's a pity it's been fairly dry so far this year (believe it or not), as the falls weren't as full as normal, but still worth the walk.

Lower Bruar Fall

Today, it was back to normal, what ever normal is. Worship at our home church. Fellowship with my church family. But over the last couple of weeks, I have wondered again and again at God's great creation.