In the Forest

Being in the countryside is so important to me. It allows me to recharge my batteries and get lost in nature. Having a camera helps with that, because I become hyper-aware of my surroundings in a good way. I have a weird mind, in which I think I understand people and the world more than most. I notice details that many people don't. I make sense of stuff in a way that is absolutely intuitive to me but struggle with 'recipes' and prescribed ways to do things. Others sometimes suggest I have 'other worldly' abilities. But it gets exhausting sometimes. I love people, love engaging, having a laugh and not taking life too seriously. But I need 'my' time and more of it as I get older.

Today, I jumped on a train to Dunkeld, with the minimum of prep. Just my camera back. I thought about taking a bike too as I sensed that I would be covering a lot of distance. But I chose to walk. 

The first bit was up to the Loch of the Clewes, around 6-km from the train station. There are ospreys there. Well, there are in the spring and summer but I was a few weeks too late and missed them. Of course I know they winter in North Africa and should have checked when they leave. But I saw a few great crested grebes and some fallow deer. I had carted my big lens but they were too far away to make a shot worthwhile.

Then, it was back towards Dunkeld, over a wooded trail and a big hill. This is where I photographed the bracken. I love the layering. On the outskirts of town, I passed an allotment with an honesty box for the veg that was sitting there. Arggg.....no chip-n-pin. Just along the road, there was an apple tree overhanging the path and a large juicy one looked as if it was going to fall and get wasted. I saved it. 

Then it was over to the Hermitage, a famous wooded area, over the main road. The downside was that it's a very popular area. Not that people being in the forest is bad. Just, it upsets me when people don't follow the 'leave no trace' rule. 

Whilst I hadn't brought my macro lens, there were lots of cool mushrooms to take pictures of. Typical, my camera bad weighs a ton, yet I only used my lightest lens and didn't have the one I needed. Lying on the ground, getting a pic of a wee yellow mushroom, I turned to see a red squirrel watching me, not 5 feet away. It flew up a tree as soon as our eyes met.

It was now time to head back to catch the train. Despite having been out all day, the light was fading and I was running out of time. I need to go back soon. I got home around 10pm absolutely exhausted. I had walked 32,000 steps (probably 20km) with a heavy camera back on what had been a great day.