Cadzow Oak

We began the day with a walk with Jenny to one of her favourite local, enchanted places where we looked at the Cadzow Oaks, some 700-800 years old.  What history they must have seen pass them by in this country estate over that time.  One of the oldest oaks appears to have been blasted by lightning or set fire to and it is split in half, with both halves continuing to grow. They looked like Ents to me...

We picked up yummy pastries from Nourish and had a cuppa back at Jen and Pete's before heading off our separate ways.  Tony and I continued our journey north, stopping for a supermarket shop and getting caught up in the petrol station chaos, jeepers!  What else can possibly go wrong.... I am determined to get in to holiday gear.

We stopped off, as we always do on this journey, at the Old Mill for toasties and soup and cake.  It has to be carrot cake for me.  There was no water in the mill race and indeed this part of Scotland does seem very dry just now.  I think we might be getting some of that missing rain this coming week, but it won't dampen our spirits.  

Half an hour out from Newtonmore I received a message to say our cottage was ready and, I must say, it is very fine and extremely comfortable.  We have eaten and bathed and I ventured out to the Coop for walnuts and was rewarded by a red squirrel coming down on to the patio rail, oh joy.  I didn't get a decent blip because the living room lights were reflected in the window, so I am hoping for a better one during the week.

I have booked us in to visit the reindeer.  The girls have sponsored two for almost thirty years and just recently I sponsored a third for Euan.  That apart, we will see how the weather pans out for our walking adventures.  There are a couple of Munros we can reach from the village and also a 10k circular route around it.  Watch this space!