What they don't tell you about summer in Scotland....

On Wednesday morning, normally an office day for Gail, I was surprised to see her loading up her backpack with a picnic lunch, flask of coffee, waterproof clothes, insect repellent etc. and surmised that she had the day off and was going to take me for a nice walk.

So initially I was disappointed to learn she was meeting some other volunteers in Glen Tanar, and together they would be conducting something called a 'habitat survey' as part of a wildflower conservation project for Plantlife Scotland, and that "dogs are not invited".

Disappointment turned to relief when she later showed me the photos of the volunteers er, 'enjoying' their lunch break in the company of a few million members of Scotland's most prolific and notorious form of wildlife, Culicoides impunctatus, aka the Highland midge.

Apparently if you walk at more than 4 mph the Highland Midge cannot keep pace.

But for once, I was not unhappy to have been left at home.

Happy Nature Friday friends!

Variety is the spice of life

Gail and I hiked the 'Loch Lee and waterfalls' circuit in the Angus Glens this weekend.

I thought it was a super route, although Gail said more sun and fewer midges would have been an improvement.

It's always fun to walk on lots of different surfaces, don't you agree?

First there was a gravel track beside the loch,

Then a wooden bridge to cross,

Here I am doing the traditional Scottish 'dog in heather' pose (Westie™)

Now you see me walking across some micaceous schist (if it had been sunny, you'd be able to see the sparkle of mirror-like mica crystals),

Although a dull day, it was quite warm (for Scotland) so I enjoyed a wee paddle in the cool, clear mountain stream. But not, please note, a swim.  NO WAY!

The path was soft and grassy as we approached the plateau...

Where I was thrilled to find lots of squelchy bogs (Gail less so).

Oh yes, and finally a nice view down to the loch where the walk began.

And then, with tiresome inevitability, the rain arrived. So Gail put away her camera and concentrated on navigating us through the rapidly descending cloud and back to the car park.

Lochnagar

Well Gail forgot her camera when she took me for a walk up Lochnagar on Sunday, so I shall try to paint you a picture in words.

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Arrive 10 a.m. at start point in Glen Muick. Lochnagar summit in clouds. Put trust in the weatherman, who says it'll clear later.

No wind. Super!

Stop to talk to talkative German hiker. Discover lack of wind not so super - dense swarm of midges descends before Fritz has finished telling Gail how Austrian Alps better than Swiss Alps. Humans start dancing a midge-induced Highland Fling. WFT unperturbed. 

Round corner, startled by a group of ten young men, heads covered in black nets, plus video cameraman. Gail relaxes on realising it's midge protection gear being filmed and not a Jihadi recruitment video.

Reach summit in record time, due to impossibility of stopping. Clouds lift. Half of Scotland in view.

Wind gets up, sun comes out. Midges dematerialise.

Humans can now stop to eat picnic lunches. Rich pickings for cute looking fox terrier (a morsel of ham sandwich, an apple core and almost half a bag of cheese and onion crisps).

On leaving summit plateau, enjoyable encounter with one year old Bedlington terrier bitch - pretty silver curls and a fragrant rear end. Owner comments that a Bedlington/WFT pairing would make gorgeous puppies. Bertie prepared to give 'puppy making' a go but is dragged away...

Meet Fritz again, now philosophising about harmony of Scottish landscape. Or something.

Rocky and  precipitous descent by side of waterfall, Bertie nearly wiped out by brainless mountain bikers.

In woods by Loch Muick, Gail looks enviously at ceps gathered by French foragers.

White sand beach at head of Loch. Bertie dips a tentative paw in the rippled water. Chilly.

Return to car 5 hrs 20 mins after setting off.

More irritating than the midges Part II?

This is Clare, out on a walk in the Torridon area on Saturday. She is no relation to the infamous Michael.

May I also introduce Gail's cousin Sue and her husband Martin.  I met them both for the first time this weekend.

Isn't it nice when you can so quickly feel comfortable with someone?

"More irritating than the midges"

Yes. I know you won't believe it, but that's how Gail's friend Michael described me last night.

You will want to hear my side of the story, I'm sure.

You know how exciting it is when you have visitors. This week Michael and his two grandsons are here in Aberdeen for a wee holiday. I was instantly attracted to Michael. He's one of those humans who insists on wearing shorts and sandals all the time in the summer, even in Scotland! It's rare I get the opportunity to lick so much exposed human flesh. Irresistible.

Surely, he should find it flattering that I pay him so much attention? But apparently not.

And worse.

We all went out for a hillwalk yesterday.

Once we escaped the midges in the trees at the bottom, we were having a fantastic time. Well at least until we reached the summit.


Michael and the boys climbed up the rocks to the very top to eat their lunch.

And Gail totally refused to lift me up the big rock to join them

It seems that Michael and the boys are too selfish to share their picnic.

I can tell you, when we came to some more rocks, Michael was VERY LUCKY I did not push him off....

And bearing in mind what he said about me and midges later, I wish I had!

(Gail says I should be grateful to be taken on such interesting outings, and need to learn that not all humans are fond of having their legs licked and their sandwiches nicked. But that can't be right, surely?)