I finished up early today and went for a walk as it was the nicest day we have had all summer. I went all the way to Coran Lochan at the end of the penninsula, and then back along the side of Loch Long, over the 500m pass at Coilessan back to the waterfalls and […]

Today R and I saved our second sheep of the year (back in Feb we pulled one out of a frozen ditch after it got its leg stuck). Early this morning, we set off to do a climb, but when we got to the Rest we realized that the weather was not going to be […]

My Mum and Dad retired to the tiny hamlet of Mossdale about 10 miles from Castle Douglas. With the passing years the garden has got too much for them, and they don’t see as much of my brother N and I as they would want as it is a long and awkward journey from LGH […]

My father’s side of the family are from Cumberland, specifically the area around Walton near Carlisle. While clearing stuff out for their move, my father found the plaque above, which he had salvaged from an old clock many years previously. It reads “Presented to J Farrer by the members of the Walton Branch of the […]

R and I went for a longish (10m) walk this morning. After a rather unpromising start, the weather was actually very pleasant, if a bit “Goily” . At least the breeze kept the midgies far away. When we got home, we discovered that one of the cats (I suspect S very strongly) had actually put […]

Our pond has been getting a bit overgrown near the stream inlet. At first we just admired the riot of wild flowers, but now it is getting to the stage where if it isn’t cleared out, it is going to turn into a swamp rather than a pond. So over the last few days I […]

Yippee!! The sun is shining today and I am not working – so off for a climb. This is sort of me playing truant from the garden which badly needs done, but I will do it this afternoon. I had an enjoyable walk up the Brack with great views from the top which were being […]

I hope this fantastic sunset is going to herald some better weather – it doesn’t seem to have stopped raining here in weeks. I mean most years here are a bit damp and I don’t mind that, but we hardly had a good day in June, and that included when we were away as J […]

Much as we have loved our Nespresso machine, a time for a parting of the ways has come. Basically it has been costing us over £100 per month for the capsules (yes I know we drink too much coffee), but also the used capsules are the best part of impossible to get rid of here […]

For a long time, R and I have believed that our local badger sett must be down by the river. We’ve had a good look for it on a number of occasions now, and have never seen any sign of it. However it now occurs to me that it may be elsewhere. We’ve a number […]