Glen Sannox

Another lovely day, another favourite glen. Glen Sannox is on the far side of the Saddle at the head of Glen Rosa, and in the past when we were younger and fitter was the start of an epic hike over The Saddle, reached by an exciting excavated whin dyke, and down into the seven miles of Glen Rosa to wherever in Brodick we were staying.

Today we stopped before we reached the head of the Glen. Underfoot the whole hike was disturbingly dry - even the bog myrtle is beginning to wither - and the clegs were as attentive as ever by the diminished but still lovely burn. And there was a cuckoo - singing at great length to its own echo at the head of the Glen, but also occasionally singing an extra note - cu-cu-ckoo. Never heard that before. Oh - there was also a very large hairy caterpillar on the path.

Before leaving Sannox, we paid a visit to the beach, crossing the massive concrete stepping stones that I remember from my early childhood to the pale sandy beach where we used to slide down massive dunes and get sand in our eyes. Now the dunes are lower (or I’m bigger) and covered in vegetation. I lay down on the warm sand and remembered…

It’s been a lovely, lovely day, and I’ve not eaten since an impressive breakfast. Dinner in forty minutes - and I’m still not cooking!