Mysteries of Nature

Nature works in mysterious ways, you might even say its magic; how a leaf the size of your hand can come from a bud so small. The freshness of the buds, the coating of morning dew of new leaves, the burst of life. The trees have awakened.

Willow can be found all along the route, it grows anywhere it can get a decent hold, from the sides of forest tracks to the open moor of Ballygroggan. It is one of the more common species on the Way, and can be used for many different things like basket weaving and fencing. It is one of many tree species that produce catkins alongside birch and alder which are also a common site on Kintyre. The willow looks like it is covered in little hairy caterpillars.

Wildlife can seem loud and uncontrolled, but listen closely enough and you will hear the symphonies of nature, the trickling of water as it hits the rocks, the songs of birds hiding high in the trees, the buzzing of insects. All these combined create the best sound in the world, the sound of the wild, all things natural.

Just a side note: Last week while I was walking in Campbeltown in the evening, I was pleasantly surprised with the display of a single Pipistrelle bat above my head. On a couple of occasions it came so close I could have just reached out and touched it. Bats are such wonderful creatures with their silent flight; they always seem to be in a rush to gather as much food as possible before sunrise. They are definitely one of the best species for keeping the midge numbers down and just for that they should be admired.