It was a lovely bright day, with the air fresh and clean, the trees bursting into leaf and all the birds a-twitter. So instead of completing the usual morning circumnavigation of Duthie Park, Gail announced, half-way round, and with the carefree spirit of the newly retired, that perhaps we might continue on south across the river and go up to Kincorth Nature Reserve, locally known as the 'Gramps'.
You'll remember we've been up to the 'Gramps' before. However this time Gail decided, undeterred by her scratchy experience in Durris Forest last week, that we should investigate some of the less well marked paths and this took us into an area of gorse covered heathland in the southwestern corner of the nature reserve.
Fortunately the path was wide enough that the protective properties of my wiry coat were not called into action despite the profusion of prickly gorse bushes, and after a while we found a farm track leading into a housing estate.
Gail seemed underwhelmed by the prospect of a walk through the maze of rather dreary local authority housing, but I had spotted something interesting and encouraged her to continue onwards.
Boyd Orr Avenue,
and Dugald Baird Square.
Of course you will already have worked out that these streets are all named after eminent scientists and medical professionals with a connection to Aberdeen. What better place for a Boffin to explore!
We eventually found our way round to the periphery of the 'Gramps',
and finally back into Duthie Park, completing our morning circuit about two hours later than planned.
Look, here's the route. (We are thrilled to learn that at least one local friend has been appreciating these little maps and might even be using them as the basis for lockdown explorations of their own!)
