Just over a year ago my wife and I embarked on a journey towards the dream of setting up our permanent abode in the Highlands of Scotland. The first stage of this dream I wrote about in my ‘new season’ blog entry where we successfully sold our home of 22 years down in Slough and started renting a bungalow in Kiltarlity north west of Inverness.
Many houses for sale came and went amidst a crazy housing market, where buyers were offering way over the asking price for properties making it so difficult to buy. Eventually however after discovering a property back in May this year, we successfully completed purchase of a home in early September. It was a property that ticked so many boxes for what we had dreamed for. Situated very close to a mixed woodland that overlooked the rear of the property with fantastic expansive views from the house and garden over the surrounding countryside along with a good sized garden, it is such privilege to be living here.
Following our move into the property, the daily walks with Willow into the woods (which are around a minute’s walk up the road) revealed a haven for fungi. This led to a regular pastime of discovering new types of fungi with each walk and using my mobile phone to take records of them all. Below is a selection of photos from the phone that give an impression of the variety.
It didn’t seem long before autumn was upon us and the woods took on a splendour of golden/ochre colours. The mobile phone became the frequent source of photography over these weeks when walking Willow, with a selection below showing the beautiful woods where Willow runs.
My running routine has taken on a new dimensions with extending of the distances to a regular 5+ mile route that take me along a disused railway track and into some distant woods. Before the clocks went back the views on the run made it a pleasure amidst the challenge of the run itself! Now the runs are in the dark with a head torch - an interesting experience, particularly in the pitch dark woods.
It has been great to watch the sunrises and sunsets over the recent weeks. The sun rises more towards the south east and sets towards the south west between autumn and spring. The directional layout of the property means being exposed to the full splendour of such events. Here’s a selection taken with the phone again, making use of the puddle outside our gate on some occasions!
This is the view from one part of the the woods on the daily circuit with Willow.
And here’s selection of photos using the DSLR of golden hours!
And the obligatory panoramic photos!
No doubt plenty more photo opportunities to come with the mobile phone as we head towards winter and the potential for snowy scenes! To be continued …