Last week I went on a little adventure to the Kintyre Peninsula, I had originally planned to walk the Kinytre Way – a 100-mile route walking through some of Kintyre’s most scenic countryside. My best-laid plans fell by the wayside after three days when I managed to injure my leg. If anyone is going to hurt themselves by just walking, it will be me.

After my injury I hopped (hobbled?) onto a ferry and spent a couple of days on Arran, which is such a beautiful place and only an hours drive from Hamilton. The perfect place to visit for a long weekend! It was so nice to be immersed in nature for a week, sleeping, eating and generally living outside. Being surrounded by the sights and sounds of the great outdoors was very restorative. And then it snowed – definitely time to go home at that point.

I was often accompanied, or at least it felt that way, by one of my favourite birds – the raven. I They always appeared when I was feeling tired from my walk or a bit lonely (not many people walk the Kintyre Way), then I would here the familiar ‘kronk’ of one calling overhead. I think even though I travelled to an area of Scotland that I have never been to before. Being able to identify the plants and animals around me was very comforting; it made me feel like I belonged in that landscape.

I also saw and heard all the familiar species that I regularly see here at the Falls of Clyde at this time of year – willow warblers, blackcaps and chiffchaffs are all firmly established and holding territories. And all the different wildflowers – wood anemone, lesser celandine and opposite-leaved golden saxifrage were found in abundance. I am also pretty sure I saw a golden eagle on Arran, if you needed an excuse to go; I think you’ve now found one!

Laura Preston – Scottish Wildlife Trust, Falls of Clyde Ranger
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