We Go In As A Pack - We Come Out As A Pack

We Go In As A Pack - We Come Out As A Pack

Hi folks, it’s me Willow again. I’ve been on another wander, so I thought I’d write all about it for you. So why the title – well, as you’ll see further on my hu-mam forgot this very important rule. But she knows better now!

So where were we? Well we were on the Black Isle, in a place called Rosemarkie. I thought we were going to Cromarty but no, just before we crossed the bridge at the end of Rosemarkie, my hu-dad turned off into a small carpark, and parked. Well, despite being an old girl of just gone 11 years, I’d never been here before – what an adventure. I found the track really easily, no roads to cross, just a great path under the road bridge.

Bridge at the start of the Fairy Glen
Bridge at the start of the Fairy Glen

The Fairy Glen

Now, as I mentioned the bridge I thought I’d get my hu-mam to take a photo of it. Isn’t it lovely, really beautifully built. You know, it’s great to get out onto your paws to inspect things as most people drive over the bridge, and probably complain as it’s a bit narrow, and have no idea of how lovely it is.

So, what can I tell you about the Glen. Well it’s really deep sided, and has a good soil path running the whole length of it. We were lucky, we haven’t had much rain this summer so it was really dry. I suspect it might be a bit muddy if there was a period of wet weather. But as my humans tell me – it’s OK so long as we have the right footwear.

Don’t worry though, you don’t have to wade across any rivers as there are lots of bits of walkways that are quite easy to cross. Well, I say that but as you will see in this photo I was a bit cautious about crossing the first one, but then, no problem once I realised it had been built correctly.

No Swimmies

I thought my luck was in. We came to a lovely big pond. It was beautiful and had lots of lovely plants around it, and there was decking too. Apparently this is a mill pond and the RSPB had built a pond dipping platform so school parties could come and inspect the water to see what pondlife is there. Now, if you’re a dog, you normally want to just jump in, but no, that wasn’t allowed. My humans muttered something about blue-green algae which is really poisonous for dogs – so that was that, no swimmies for me.

A beautiful walk

It was quite a new experience for me, we had all these short bits of pathways to make our lives easier, and to help protect tree roots etc. Now shhhh, don’t tell anyone but, I didn’t use that bit of walkway as I walked on the stone at the side. The other thing we kept coming across were these little gaps with stones on either side. My humans told me that was for drainage – but what do they know, I know it was for dogs having great fun jumping across.

The walk was lovely. It was a semi-natural woodland which had lots of great broad-leafed trees. So, it was great for a dog, as it gave me lots of lovely shade. At one point on the path there was a river on one side, but a very small stream on the other. I went in there and cooled my paws down. Well, if I can’t swim this is the next best thing. It also gave me a chance to have a look to see what all plants were there. My humans also told me that it’s an RSPB reserve and that it’s very important for wildlife too.

We go in as a pack, we come out as a pack

Now, I said I’d get back to subject of the title of this blog. I got to a point where I thought we’d gone far enough. So, my hu-dad took me back BUT my hu-mam carried on. Well, I humoured him, and took him down to the main river to let me cool my paws down. I’d a wee think about it, and thought we’d better go back and find my hu-mam, just in case she got lost. You see, we came into the glen as a pack, so we should stick together and come out as a pack.

Anyway, I took him back in the direction where we last saw my hu-mam, and then went a bit further on. Well, am I please I did! You’ll never believe what we found. A waterfall and another big pond. In fact, it looked as if it was two waterfalls. I was quite surprised, I thought as we had so little rain this summer that there wouldn’t be any water there but it was lovely.

Waterfall at the head of the Fairy Glen
Waterfall at the fairy glen

I had a good look at the rocks around the waterfall and I’m not the only one who did. Apparently, Hugh Miller, the very famous Cromarty geologist wrote ‘I am acquainted with no other locality in the kingdom where this deposit (boulder-clay) is hollowed into ravines so profound or presents precipices so imposing’. And, you know he knew a thing or two did Hugh. Anyway, rocks always make my hu-mam happy.

So, that was it, we turned back, and made our way back down the glen.

Now, before I forget, remember if you’re walking in Scotland you should stick to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. And if you’re walking anywhere else, please find out if they have a similar Code and follow that.