The active weekend; continued.

SUnday was calm and damp in the morning but by 10am it was dry enough for Jo and Ralph to join the Speyside Joggers for a 9mile run.

In the afternoon in the cold sunshine we all went for a 9 mile walk from Nethybridge. It was going to be a 5 mile walk, then it was dry and the views were stunning so we extended it, then I extended it a bit more by taking us a bit further down a track than I meant to.

We had to ford 2 streams which involved balancing on tree trunks so the walk did have some excitments too!

Sadly I didn't take the camera so the photo is actually from the Saturday walk showing the Spey in the valley which forms part of our daily walk.

Getting friendly with the reindeer on the Cromdales.

Friend Jo was here for the weekend and we decided to tackle the Cromdales, hills that shelter Grantown from the mountainous weather of the Cairngorms. The forecast wasn't great and in fact it was appalling but Jo and I are never deterred by the wind and set off.

We reached the dizzy height of 635m which is marked by a georgeous cairn. At this point the wind was so strong that I couldn't stand upright, never mind take a photo.

You can see we did have some respite from the driving snow and wind but that wasn't the only thing that preventing me taking photographs. You can see the herd of reindeer which was taken at some distance only because when they came within stroking distance I was a little alarmed!! Jo had to walk a little distance off with our dogs so I could try to drive them away with my walking pole.

If it weren't for the dogs, I would not have been so quite nervous. They seemed a LOT larger than the ones pulling Santa's sleigh (previous post) and were more numerous. I expect they are fed and used to humans and unlike cows, didn't seem too interested in the dogs, but they have very imposing antlers and there were a great number of them..as you can see. So, no close up photos but an experience to have 20 odd reindeer running across a snowy hillside to see us!

Meanwhile the husbands were doing their own form of exercise; Adie cycling and Ralph exercisersizing his mind with Saturday's Guardian. They did walk Pip in the afternoon.

Just for your info, dog lovers; Buffy is a GSX and 10, well used to hills and long days, and Moss is a brilliant hill dog, walking nearby and not running off and disappearing. Pip stays home for preference, that is MY preference, just because of her love of chasing animals small and BIG, probably like reindeer.

On the beach.

Cute little birds...piles of seaweed and the inevitable picture of the collies.

This is Lossiemouth Beach today, still on the Moray Coastal Trail but despite the tanquil sky, the wind was whipping sand into sheets across the beach and it was bitterly cold as well as unpleasant walking into it.

So a short walk.

If I didn't have endless horse manure for compost then I would be stuffing sacks of all this lovely seaweed which must have been swept into piles during one of the recent storms.

The birds...well they are Snderlings. You can't use Wikiepeadia today but I'm sure you'll find them on an RSBP site.

The off-road bike course in Church Wood.

It is fab! I haven't been on it on my bike yet because it was not finished but I ran round it with the dogs. I love all the swoopy bits and bumby humps but the stone path as on the photo far right, is way beyond my modest skill and nerve.

I can't take any photos of the children using it without their permission, especially now I'm Child Protection Officer for the Speyside Paddlers, so the course looks a bit empty but it is used and they have already had races. Great!

More scenery.

A quiet walk from Colyumbridge on Friday.

This area is to become the site of a new town with 400 new houses and a school. The planning permission has been passed despite objections and despite the fact that the area sits deep in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.

You might think that this status would protect an area but no. There are other schemes for development in many of the out lying villages, including Boat of Garten and Nethybridge which are RSPB reserves and the nesting site of rare birds like the capercaillies and the osprey.

I wonder where the population of the new developments are going to work. Inverness is the fastest growing city in the UK (I think) but it is 30 miles to Inverness, over a steep snowy hill and there is plenty of space around the Moray coast.

I think it will be second homes mostly. There should be legislation to prevent this but of course it is a sad fact that councils need income, the locals need employment and development will generate the local economy.

I have been active in campaigns before moving up here. It is now time to get involved again.

Life has started again.

After the dull quiet of the Christmas holidays, everything is back in full flow. There is the Art Group and the Paddlers group of which I am a member of both. I went riding yesterday on an adorable Highland pony in the tracks around Nethybridge, looking out towards the mountains of Cairn Gorm, Kincardine and Cromdale!

Ralph has joined the Speyside Joggers and has been out twice with them. Ralph has his scooter to complete rebuilding.

We have the garden to plant up (seeds bought) and the hens to put in the newly ordered hen run. The allotment may be too far away so we are still looking for some land for the polytunnel.

There is the U3A which Ralph went to on Tuesday to learn about the Strathspey Railway. There are talks every 2 weeks on a variety of subjects.

There is the Botanical Illustration, French and Horticulture Group (me)

There is Photography (ralph)

Natural History. (both)

It's so exciting! There are eagle watches, a boat trip to find dolphins, an art exhibitions to prepare for and holidays to plan.

I'm away with my walking group (from Huddersfield) twice, away with friends canoeing (weather permitting) twice, walking the West Highland Way with a friend being planned, and Ralph is planning a motorbike trip to Spain and south France.

Then there is the whole of the West Coast and also the islands to explore, the Glen Affric trails and mountains is at the top of my list having never been there...

Ralph has entered the Inverness Half Marathon and then there is the Loch Ness Marathon in September.

Meanwhile I look after my dad, keep him from death's door with twice daily company and a supply of food, drink and medication and aim to help him to enjoy the last years of his life.

Sunset.

Last night over the neighbour's house. Wow.

Strange little box...

Friday, while on a ride (bicycle) I came across this little box anchored at the edge of an inlet to the Spey. As I was wearing my contact lenses, I couldn't read the note attached to the top and had to return the next day. The water levels had also dropped and it was possible to pull the chain holding it in place.
It is a mink trap.
The notice told us the purpose of trapping was because the mink have endangered water voles by their verocious appetite. Persumably the minks are then humanely slaughtered. I wonder if they make their pelts into coats?

More garden birds.

These little visitors have suddenly started frequenting our table and feeders. They are hard to catch as they dart around feverishly, snatching a seed then flying off to sit on a twig then disapeear round the front of the house on to another feeder..

There have been sightings of the Crested Tits in the area and everyone likes to see a Crested Tit as they are much more rare....but sadly, still rare in our garden.

Today I saw a buzzard, circling above me while I biked through the grounds of Castle Grant. It called to me so I stopped and watched this madnificent bird looking for a rabbit in the fields below.

Buzzards like a mixture of woods and fields so around here is ideal for them. There are plenty of rodents but fewer rabbits than ever before. I expect they take out the abundant pheasants that live everywhere, having left the boundaries of the shoot areas. We have at least 6 in our garden at times. All the cocks together, bold and colourful then the hens scuttling away under the bushes, much less significant and harder to spot.

We also have a wood pigeon coming to the garden. They are all welcome here.

Another storm?

So while the news gave out information about closed bridges, wheelie bins barreling down the street, and general havoc with 100mph winds in Scotland, I have to report that

here in Mossie Road, our wind speed meter showed a maximum speed of 4mph all day. There was sleet and rain in the morning but we did our usual 7 mile walk in the afternoon without either.

This blog seems to be dominated by weather reports but it's what people are most interested in.

The crowds are leaving Grantown now. The traffic is back to local shoppers and wood wagons; all we see of the revellers now are the tail lights of the camper vans disappearing down the road south.

On Monday we went to Aberdeen and visited friends. One couple I hadn't seen since their son was 1 year old and last year he had his 30th birthday, but they looked the same, were the same and it is possible to pick up conversation as if it was a year ago.

As there were 2 other dogs, an old lady and a puppy (a springer disguised as a labrador) we took them for a walk in some nearby woods then went for a meal at a South Indian restaurant in the centre of this wealthy, tidy city. A change of scenery as well a change of company.

The sun shone all day!

Happy New Year.

No photos as it's hard to handle a camera when you're in a crowd of happy, dancing people.
A starlit sky, a good natured crowd doing the Gay Gordons and Strip The Willow down the street, a piper and a live band, a few kilts and believe it or not...only one person presnted at Casualty (it's still called that here) with a sprained ankle.
The party started at 11.30pm and we nearly went to bed with the wait, but was glad to see our first year in as Grantown residents, (previously just visiting relatives).