The end of the summer, nights starting to get gradually darker but still light enough to enjoy those last few hours of evening sunshine. There is something about crossing the border, that fills you with the feeling of a different place. The landscape becomes more rugged and natural, Galloway Hills and Forest, a sense of calm coupled with excitement and a weird sense of belonging.
We decided to follow some of the Burns trail. Camping on the shores of the Solway Firth so that we could follow some of the path of Scotland's famous son. See at first hand the inspiration for some of his works. Wordsworth had the Lake District and Burns had Dumfries and Galloway.
This time we got it right. Camping doesn't need to mean discomfort. Electric hook up, a decent tent, a well run site in a beautiful location. We were so lucky to find this place. Purely by chance. A quiet site away from the usual tourist attractions but with the sea, sea birds, llamas, goats, horses and ducks for company. Ducks and geese that gathered outside our tent during the night and followed us to the bathroom, quacking merrily along their way. Luckily our dogs were sleeping in their cage and kept on a lead otherwise those ducks may have not lasted too long.
Llamas running about with the sheep, horses, goats and donkeys all happily sharing the interlinking fields. Running en mass at dusk back towards the field nearest the farmhouse as night started to fall.
There is just something about camping. Close to the stars enjoying the open air. It rained heavily on the second night and we laughed, sang camp songs like a pair of kids at scout camp, and hoped the tent didn't leak. We felt we had cheated by taking a small TV, heater and electric light, but it is still camping. We cooked outdoors, there's something about outdoor cooking that makes food taste better.
The days were spent following the Burns trail. Gretna, finding each other in the maze, Annan, Dumfries and along the Solway coast to New Abbey taking in the story of the Sweetheart Abbey. I'm still unsure if it was romantic or macabre for the Lady to remove her husbands heart and keep it always next to her in a casket until she too died, when they were buried together.
On the way home it was Lockerbie and back to Gretna and back over the border to England with the promise that I will be back to my beloved Scotland very soon. I am so glad we are still united.
Nothing is cheating when you're sleeping in a tent!
ReplyDeleteYou spoke to me when you said there is something about camping. "Close to the stars and open air." That's what it's all about, isn't it? More people should get out there and do it. I feel like you think differently when you go camping. Things get put in to perspective. Appreciating the simple fact of being alive and not needing too much. ( except a heater and a tv!!) haha!
This is a lovely story, I'm so glad you camped with animals around you. I would have invited them all in my tent!
Love to you!