Return From the Wilderness

Well... where do I start? For the last few weeks I've been in an internet black hole... at least on my mobile network. We've been staying close to Leadhills, the second highest village in Scotland... in a valley with rushing stream, wild heather moorland and a fir plantation at one end...

It snowed the night we arrived which added a touch of sparkle to the hills as the sun smiled. In the days to come we would see the clouds roll over these hills, engulfing each one in turn. We couldn't tell what type of weather was coming until it hit us... lashing rain, drizzle, mist and then more snow all made their way over into the valley bottom, clouds either creeping or surging in fascinating patterns...

At the opposite end of the valley, to the west, was the forest that often had trails of mist weaving through it... 

Elsewhere it was tree-less, apart from an occasional stunted little beauty bravely making a statement... Some would say the landscape was bleak.... but I thought of it as Mother Earth with no make-up on. A wild, rugged beauty that I could appreciate as I wandered...

  It felt an honour to be there, to connect with Earth & Sky. Somehow it feels like I have entered a new cycle of my life... everything that has gone before is stripped away, only the most resilient... necessary... parts of me remain to make the next phase of my journey. Like this landscape that may seem barren, the things that grow deserve to be there and are capable of surviving no matter what the conditions...

Light & shadow painted ever-changing patterns and the stream offered a constant musical accompaniment. A rhythm that sang to my heart and an energy that I could feel with every breath...

And so, we're back in North Yorkshire for a few weeks, or maybe more, with tales to tell & thoughts to share. I'll write more as time goes on. 'Tis good to be back, though I have enjoyed the isolation of the last couple of months.