Escapism

Having just caught up with our FM’s statement on the forthcoming measures to try to restrain the transmission of Covid, I feel more than ever that I’m living in a parallel world. North Glen Sannox runs behind the mountains that hem in the next glen, Glen Sannox itself, and mounts past evergreen plantations and native birch woods to an open area at the foot of An Caistail. When I was a child, the only access for us involved catching the bus , getting off at what felt like the middle is nowhere, and trekking up a narrow, muddy path to a favoured spot on the granite slabs beside the magical and often spectacular burn.

We ate our lunch today in such a spot, though we’d left our car in a conveniently-placed car park and walked up the customary well-maintained (and dry) path. We met far more walkers than we would have in the past. And a final difference - and not one I really regret - is that we didn’t mix tumblers of Creamola Foam with flavoured crystals spooned from a small tin into water collected at great personal risk from the torrent at our feet. I believe it’s making a comeback...

The weather changed as the solstice arrived, and we were pursued down the glen by the damp mist on a driving wind. Soon I shall be back with the realities of our situation, and with increasingly hazardous weekly shopping. I feel no more like coping with it than I ever did.

And if I’ve seemed self-obsessed this past week, not following any but my own doings, I apologise. I’ll be back soon!