Sunrise

I stopped the car on the way up the old Gartmore road out of Drymen this morning en route for my penultimate walk with Dornie and Shuna in the Garadhban Forest. The view is looking south-east towards the Campsies and Dumgoyne.

Our walk up in the forest was 'invigorating', by which I mean that my cheeks were so cold they were burning and I was sure there was an icicle hanging from my nose! An oxygen tank would have been helpful. Once again we had the place to ourselves, up high with fine views in every direction.

On the way back down the single-track road we came across three heifers who had escaped from the field onto the road - a not-uncommon occurrence in the countryside - but fortunately the driver of a car heading up the road stopped and together we managed to shoo the beasts back into the field.

It has been a struggle to keep warm today, but now I've got a great fire lit in the stove and the room is cosy. I hope you're all also as warm as toast.