Roads to Joy

As we ambled along homewards through the lush vegetation, my beloved exclaimed, ‘Oh I do love these woods!’ I felt so guilty that for so many long years we’ve been stuck high on the remote and moor-ish fellside where a deciduous woodland walk has not been feasible unless you get in the car and drive for ten miles or so. Which we have tended not to do. These Galloway woods, however, are just a short foray from the little Council Estate on foot past the Golf Club and then we’re into an enchanted sanctitude of deep dark moss-covered trees.

Along the way we encountered such brilliant colour, which contrasted so intriguingly with the human interventions of dust bins and electric vehicle charging points. We especially liked the Virginia Creeper festooned over the gable end of a building on the other side of the brae.

But the highlight of our little walk was the discovery of huge, dinner-plate Russulaceae, which we admired without even contemplating picking. Some of the large family, consisting of circa 1900 species, are very edible, while others are not! So of course we erred on the side of caution. Nice to photograph though.

We resolved to stay ambulatory as long as we possibly can, so that we can experience, however slowly, the woodland delights. Though immobility will surely come, we can delight in the walking adventures we can still achieve.