Sunny Intervals

A day dominated by water - and I think I'm coming to realise that life here on a Scottish island is overshadowed by it. A short car journey to the start points for a couple of walks, the route of the road determined by inlets and bridges and cliffs and boggy ground. Walking out towards the coast - waterproof and insulating layers going off and on every few steps, it seemed, as showers blew over, the wind (and wind chill) rose and fell, sun appeared and disappeared.

We must of necessity follow river channels, but rivers here wind and spill and spread and shift their course. Water lies in low areas, vegetation holds it back, mosses act as natural sponges, tunnels form under fragile turf. In some places, every step involves a risk calculation

A diversion to find another abandoned settlement. Inevitably we got lost trying to rejoin the main path, finding ourselves in an assault course of bracken and briars, stumps and boulders and, of course, water permeating it all, forcing giant steps, diversions and retreats

Eventually we emerged into a sandy estuary, water lying in pools in rocks and pools in turf and pools on the sand; water flowing in complex, intertwined streams across the little river delta; water crashing on rocks below us; and water still occasionally cascading from the sky. The shelter of a (wet) rock for (dry!) sandwiches, entertained by flights of water birds: whooper swans and ringed plovers

A stroll along the beach and we encounter this - water again - the effect of the falling tide and wave motion. Not uncommon, but not often so extreme or so extensive. As an apology from the water gods for all the deluges and diversions, I'll accept it

An exhilarating day. Home for supper and a glass of water

[Coda: just as I finished writing this, Mrs M mentioned she had an email from our home authority (Thames) today: the hose-pipe ban is still in place]