For 47 years or thereabouts I have walked in the Stornoway Castle Grounds. For some reason which I cannot explain, 99% of the time (perhaps more) my walk has been in a clockwise direction.
Today, after having had breakfast in The Woodlands Café, I decided to walk in an anti-clockwise direction. It felt quite strange.
However that was not all that was unusual. I noticed something that I cannot recall being so aware of before. The huge number of Blackbirds flying around. There are a lot of birds in the Grounds from Cranes and Ravens down in size to Wrens. Most of the time the most noticeable bird is the Robin. However this year there seems to have been a dearth of birds on many of my walks. Today was different. I doubt that there was a single step when there was not a Blackbird or several Blackbirds in view.
Anyway I thought that, as it's a while since I showed any pictures of my walks, I'd show you a few today.
The first thing I did was check the rain app to make sure I wasn't going to get soaked because I wasn't dressed for an 'any-weather' walk. I had enough time for the 'Short Walk' which is about 1.3 miles
Wow! That's a beautiful walk, Graham. I like to walk opposite my usual route sometimes as I notice so many things. I am glad you had such a nice day for your walk and I am glad you shared your lovely photos!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ellen. After the terrible weather we've had recently it was great to be out again.
DeleteWhat a beautiful walk! I am very glad you showed us these photos. Can't wait to tell your neighbor and my friend how much I enjoyed seeing this post. I am sure she and her hubby have walked with you before! Also, it reminds me that I used to recommend a book for folks when I was a travel agent. "The UNOFFICIAL Guide to DisneyWorld" recommended that visitors almost always walk down Main Street and then, go to the right. If you go to the LEFT, one can avoid the crowds. Of course, this advice was from years ago. I suspect that here is no way to avoid crowds these days!
ReplyDeleteKay, P and D have walked that route many times when they had their dog. I understand the Disneyworld reasoning all those years ago. You'd be hard pressed to find a crowd in the Castle Grounds except at Heb Celt (our annual music festival).
DeleteWell, whichever way round you go, that is definitely a beautiful place to walk.
ReplyDeleteIt is JayCee. I shall be doing it again this morning. I haven't decided which way round though.
DeleteBeautiful grounds, they have a comfortable vibe.
ReplyDeleteBirds this year feel to me to have or are in a bit of shake up here, uduals replaced by the infrequent seen type
Maywyn, you are spot on about the comfortable vibe.
DeleteMy goodness....those are beautiful photos!!! Here in the states, we are having a large outbreak of avian influenza. I don't know if that plagues birds where you are or not. Can't get over how lovely and peaceful those pictures are!
ReplyDeleteGood to see you again, Donna. We have been badly hit by avian flu: very largely in the huge seabird colonies. I believe some poultry farms have succumbed too. I'm not aware of it with our garden birds on the Island though.
DeleteSunny Stornoway, wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThe birds here have had a good summer, I even saw a large flock of Fieldfare on Sunday. Wrens are plentiful but only the strongest survive winter.
I suspect the reason you walk clockwise is that your left leg is longer than your right, try walking backwards.
Adrian they must have made a mistake with the tape measure when I got my knew knee. (or is is new nee?).
DeleteWell, this is a lovely walk and I appreciate going with you counterclockwise or clockwise!
ReplyDeleteIt's good, Jill, to have your company either way.
DeleteWhat a beautiful walk - gives the lie to the impression southerners have of the Hebrides being a windswept place.
ReplyDeleteTigger, it's a walk of which I never tire. However, the trees have survived despite the windswept nature of the Islands.
DeleteI can see that were in a rebellious mood, Graham - walking counter-clockwise, indeed! No doubt the Blackbirds were induced to put in an appearance to see what revolution looks like! The walk appears more than delightful, clockwise or otherwise, in fair weather or foul, a walk that would satisfy me in great measure. The only improvement might have been a picture of the curious blackbirds. I don't think I have ever seen one with a quizzical look and that would have been fun.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I'm not sure that I'd recognise a quizzical look on a Blackbird but then it probably couldn't recognise one on me either.
DeleteFunny how we can get into a habit of doing something the same way, over and over. Glad you made a change!
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures, it looks like such a peaceful pretty place to walk. Have a great day :)
Thanks, Margaret. I've actually been asking myself why I always went clockwise and I have come to no conclusion.
DeleteIt's been too long since you last took us for a walk with your camera, Graham. Always love seeing the beautiful castle grounds and walkways. The photos are wonderful. Are you blackbirds the same as ours? I think I see more blackbirds around here than any other although I hear more tui.
ReplyDeletePauline (aka Anonymous) our (as in yours and my) Blackbirds are the same. They and the Thrushes used to wake me by smashing snails on the verandah of The Cottage just by the head of my bed.
DeleteWhat a beautiful walk.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debby, I am fortunate.
DeleteI remember pictures of this walk in older posts of yours, and these new pictures confirm what I thought then, that it would certainly be one of my favourite walks if I lived there.
ReplyDeleteEvery now and then, I enjoy repeating a well known walk but in the opposite direction. It is amazing how that feels; different and yet very familiar.
As for birds, I keep not so much seeing but hearing a lot of blackbirds when I'm out or when my windows are open; they seem to be in a rather belligerent mood right now. I find that strange since it is not their mating or breeding season, as far as I know. Anyway, the first beautiful song of a blackbird can usually be heard here as early as late January. It is always a special moment.
Meike, I have blogged several times about the walk as you said. Oddly I noticed a number being very territorial. As you say it's not the breeding season yet so I'm not quite sure why.
DeleteI appreciate the colours and sharpness of your photographs. I also have a favourite circular walk which seems very different when, occasionally, I take the anti-clockwise route.
ReplyDeleteThanks, YP. It sounds like we naturally tend to walk in a clockwise direction on familiar routes.
DeleteI don't mind going either way on a regular walk but my old dog certainly did . He was right conbobulated about going anti clockwise around Lytham Hall grounds.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Potty. I just love the word 'conbobulated'. I have not used it for ages.
DeleteLooks like a very nice walk in any season. My own 'routine' walk is (as you'll probably remember) around an old cemetery; but I do vary that walk not only by sometimes walking clockwise and sometimes anti-clockwise, but also in various criss-cross and back-and-forth patterns in between! ;-) I can also vary my walks into town and back a bit - which way I choose may depend on what errands I have there. I agree that it's very easy to just fall into a certain pattern though - and if one prefers to let one's mind 'wander' as well, it can be quite comfortable to just let ones legs do their routine!
ReplyDeleteMonica, I like the idea of one's legs just doing their own routine.
DeleteIt's a bit like life isn't it? Try something a different way and all of a sudden we learn something different.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Amy.
DeleteI don't know why it popped into my head...but you were walking widdershins. I had to go and look it up. Counter clockwise.
ReplyDeleteWell, well, Debby. I've heard the term 'widdershins' but had no idea that's what it meant.
DeleteDebby beat me to it!! I was going to say you were walking widdershins - additionally, Widdershins was the name of one of the best cats we ever got to be owned by... it's also the title of a very good book by Charles de Lint (an author I love)...
ReplyDeleteMarcheline, I shall try and store that information.
DeleteI suggest somewhere cool and dark...
DeleteLovely walk. Thanks for taking me with you. It is very good for your brain to do things in the opposite direction or in a different order. Keeps your brain active rather than on auto pilot.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane. I hadn't thought of that benefit for the brain.
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