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A slightly shorter and easier expedition this time, with
beautiful weather. Just six explorers, there were other things
going on; Archie, Daibhidh, JJ, Katie, Parker and Zack, with
five adults, Alasdair, John, Pamela, Philippa and Simon, plus
Ellie, Fizz and Hamish to defend us from wild animals.
The explorers were hard at it even before we left the church,
busy examining tadpoles in pools in the triangle. Fortunately
we were all able to leave without immersion in the mud. We
assembled at Langal and carefully made our way up the hill
along the side of the road.
When we reached the first bridge, which used to be known as
Drochit a'Gorroch, I told the explorers of the old story that
the bridge was haunted by a witch who used to grab unmarried
men as they walked by. The explorers were not in the least
bothered and climbed down to look under the bridge but the
witch wasn't there.
We resumed our climb for a little way and then branched off
into the woods and carefully negotiated the fence, harder
for the dogs this time. Once into the empty woods the explorers
did some running about and even organised a quick game of
hide and seek. We had seen the big pine trees in the distance
on several earlier outings but this time I was determined
to reach them and we did so, although it entailed a crossing
of some uncomfortable soggy and tussocky ground. I had thought
of a break at this stage but the explorers all said they still
had plenty of energy so, after examining the big trees, possibly
the biggest pines in the area, we moved on to look as a group
of larches in another wood.
The sun was shining through the fresh leaves and the wood
had a quite magical quality, but we didn't stay long and set
off back up the hill across another boggy field. In the middle
was a small pool, which I thought was a deer wallow and the
explorers found more tadpoles and some small water beetles.
We were a little concerned to see a cow in the distance and
I led everyone in a wide circle around it on the high ground
to ensure it didn't see the dogs. My navigation was spot on
and we emerged through the trees with the Fish Rock in front
of us.
The name is my own, if the rock ever had a name, I haven't
heard it, but it looks like a fish called a lump sucker, even
to the fact that it has two ridges running along it and a
patch of lichen where the eye should be. The ridges made good
seats and the explorers climbed up for a photograph.
They did some scouting about and found a fine shield bug and
a small looper caterpillar near the rock, neither of which
put them off their Tunnock's wafers. After a good rest we
carefully climbed down the hill, over the fence and back to
the road, where everyone looked at the boulder clay exposure.
At the bottom of the hill we did a small diversion to look
at a group of resting cairns beside the old track.
Not everyone went back to the Blue Parrot, but we got some
nice pictures. I have picked out Katie's view of the witches
bridge with round stones in the stream coming out.
John
Dye
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