Two go for a walk – 11 December 2023

The morning broke with the promise of a fine day, but would it last?

As we watched the clouds break and the sun begin to shine, the decision was made. We would go for a walk. I chose Drumpellier as the likely destination. I know Scamp likes walking in the woods and I do too. It’s usually a place where I can be sure of getting a photo or two, so suited and booted for a walk in the woods, we set off.

By around 10.30 we were walking between the two ponds that make up Lochend Loch. We were walking counterclockwise today, against the normal flow of pedestrians. We took our usual route, choosing the second path that offered us an entrance to the woods. It’s a long straight path that takes you deep into the woodland, then there’s an almost 180º turn and another slightly shorter path before we turned off as we usually do to climb up the long slope to the crest of the hill then down the other side. Every now and again we’d come across a handful of seeds scattered by someone on the side of the path with magpies and the occasional crows making a breakfast of them. We’ve often seen these seeds and wondered if it’s just folk like us, or maybe folk working in the park who put these seeds down.

There are a myriad of paths and trails all the way through the woodland. Some are obviously deer trails and some look as if they are ramblers trails, but we generally keep to the main paths and each of us has their favourites. Today we walked a shorter and less strenuous route than normal, then I suggested we add on a walk round the cricket ground. It’s strange to think that an industrial place like Coatbridge would have a cricket ground in a corner of the woodland, but it’s true. We walked back down the road that would take us back to the loch and from there, back to the car park.

We needed some ‘messages’ and I suggested Morrisons as a change from Tesco. That’s how we came home with three bags full of stuff. Scamp was delighted to find that Morrisons stocked her old favourite fruity sauce. I was delighted to find a bargain bottle of whisky. We both bought more than we really needed, but a change is as good as a rest, some say and we needed a change from Tesco.

I finally bit the bullet and drove up to the town centre to get my hair cut. I swear it took the girl less than five minutes to give me a number 3 on the sides and a number 4 on the top. Then trim my terrifying eyebrows. Worth the £7.90 she asked for, so I gave her a tenner!

While I was out, Scamp had put her fancy new Christmas lights round the wee tree Jamie and Simonne brought from their garden. The clever thing about them is that you set the start time for them, then they stay on for six hours and automatically switch off after that time.  So smart!

I got a few photos today, but my favourite, and PoD, was a view over Lochend Loch with the sky reflected in the still water.

Cleverly, Scamp had turned the chicken stock from yesterday into a small pot of soup by adding more veg. That was dinner tonight with an M&S pizza to fill a wee space if we needed it.

Tomorrow I think Scamp may be meeting June, Shona and Ian. I’m intending to stay at home incase a parcel arrives.