Scotland is a compact country – wherever you are you are never more than fifty miles from the sea. Even in the centre of our largest cities we are in easy striking distance of open countryside with stunning scenery, solitude and peace – Glasgow with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and Edinburgh with the Pentland Hills on its doorstep. Sure, some visitors to the countryside need the security of crowds and don’t want solitude, but it’s there if ever they should.
Regular readers will know of my interest in Scottish vernacular poetry. I’ve managed, after hunting for it for a long time, to lay my hands on a small and rare book of poetry entitled Rhymes Frae the Back o’ Catter by Angus poet Henry Don Keith.
Rescuing a Georgian mansion house and garden from a state of dilapidation and potential total loss is a daunting prospect that might overwhelm most people.
We’ve not had such a prolonged period of hot weather since 1976 and it’s affecting Inka. On the plus side he enjoys the heat, running into the back garden and stretching out on the grass.