Encroaching ...

Now here's a thing. Two days ago I was enjoying the brightness of the yellow wild mustard flowers on the shore further down the peninsula; today I was looking at it in quite another light on Dunoon's West Bay. Why? Is it because I've a photo of my grandfather sitting on this beach, with his suit, hat and watch chain, clearly enjoying his visit to Dunoon? Is it because I know that in the past the beach was full of visitors, with rowing boats pulled up on the sand ready for hire? Is it because I remember bringing my young children here to play while I sat on the wall and watched them?

The papers and social media pages relating to Dunoon have been carrying complaints about the deterioration of this shore. The last one I saw asked if this was a beach or an extension of someone's garden. It's certainly a mess, though you can see in the foreground that someone's been having a bash at hauling up the plants (they have the most enormous roots).

On a dreich afternoon it certainly looked a sad place. And if someone can't find the money and/or the manpower to deal with it, it's going to be a great deal worse with each successive year.

But why is the mustard so exuberant this year?