Well another one ends and I think we all must contain ourselves and wait till late March!!
Only joking, Abernethy is brilliant all year round. The "Rut" commencing soon on the hills and on lower ground too.
Geese roosting in November sunsets.
A really cold winter and the pure stillness of the frozen loch. Cracking branches and tiny calls from tits, finches and siskins.
Come spring, goldeneye and divers and later on, "The Lek".
A truly magical place all year round. So even if the centre is closed, come and see it and see what a real wildernsess can do for the soul!.
try the trails up to Loch Mallachie and beyond, well worth it on a short , sunny, wintersday.
See you all , soon.
Mike
Mike wrote: "A truly magical place all year round. So even if the centre is closed, come and see it and see what a real wildernsess can do for the soul!."
Well said, Mike! I hope my comments here are not off-topic.
Bloggers have said that LG center should have electricity and "real toilets" for next year. I am ignorant of sources, miles involved, etc., but wouldn't installation of these modern conveniences involve pipes & poles & wires and thus heavy machinery and clearing through wilderness areas???
Before we start asking for the moon, shouldn't we consider what the "price" would be and if we really want to pay that price? After all, isn't preserving the wilderness for the good of the planet and and the human soul the goal of this project?
From the many very descriptive blogs from Loch Garten it does sound like a magical place but I can see June Spradin's point. It would be a shame to take real wilderness away.
Margobird
Very valid point, June S. We all expect all mod cons, these days,everywhere we go but these can come at a price that has nothing to do with money. We need more 'wild' places, not less, & this would be another change perhaps at a cost to mother nature herself.
Mike: Loch Garten sounds wonderful in winter. Thanks for painting that picture (I'll avoid imagining the toilets though). :-)
It really is but a lot of people think of it as a summer only reserve. Limited facilities etc, no cafes, drinks and all that .
At the end of the day Abernethy is about as close as we can get to wilderness in the UK, without wandering up into the high plateaux in the Cairngorms, the Monaleiadhs or the wilderness of Sutherland which I know not all can do.
As for the loos, must be a lot of grief for the staff! and we can all do without the electicity!
Let's keep it as "wild" as we can for a few more years and let the ospreys, eagles, capers and all the other flora and fauna recover.
Bye the way Abernethy is fantastic for bugs and beetles for all those who are interested. all you need is a bit of dead wood and not too much "tidying up". good for crossbills too in the canopy.
Unknown said: Mike: Loch Garten sounds wonderful in winter. Thanks for painting that picture (I'll avoid imagining the toilets though). :-)
Will try and post a few more pics when I go up next week. Got a better camera now!
Thanks, Mike. It's frustrating for those of us who've been so involved (or at least feeling involved) but don't have the chance to see the Abernethy forest for ourselves. Enjoy your trip!
Mike you are so right not many really wild and unspoilt places left. Look forward to pictures.