Taming our countryside?

One of our standby walks, especially on days like today when the hills are swathed in fog, is at the south of the peninsula round the coast, past the grounds of Toward castle and out along the shore road as far as where the Ardyne burn meets the sea. Often in the past we've walked the outward journey through the grounds of Toward castle - a route that avoids the chance of being killed by a boy racer or a large grit lorry on the shore road. Today we noticed two major changes - the other one, of the route through the castle grounds being completely shut off by the new owners, occurred some weeks ago. This is one: the area of rough grass and splendid brambles, trees and shrubs that lies between the road (on which I was standing) and the back gate to the grounds and the historic castle ruins is being dug up and flattened - for what? Are they going to build a house there? Or merely landscape it? 

I noted also that they seem to have cut down a tree on the seaward side. Perhaps it was wind-damaged ...

My second photo is of the other change: the track out the Ardyne shore has been covered in tarmac. It looks rather industrial and bleak, as the bushes and grass on the beach side have been removed. The road won't last, I'm sure - there is already a pot-hole forming after a week. Give us another big storm ...

Girn. I don't like my world being tamed.