The Muiry Wood

Today we went to one of our old haunts, the Muiry Wood. We used to walk there alot when Snoop and Alfie were little, I think Rosie and Gabbi may have been once or twice, but they would have been so tiny and on leads. I forgot how much I like the place, it's best when it's been snowing as it's so pretty but snow usually means deer, it's a lovely area though with paths for all abilities and some fantastic views.

I took LOTS of photos today (and not a sunset in sight) so be patient! I've posted them small to take up less space but you can enlarge them by left-clicking on them if you want.

Straining on their leads for freedom....and they're off! Weee, so many sniffs, so little time!

Snoop does his best "Monarch of the Glen" pose. (or snooty Hound, whatever way you want to look at it!)

This huge Rhodedendron bush is ablaze with purple blooms in summertime, I remember giving it a very wide berth as it attracts so many bees and wasps it actually buzzes!

The recalls, 100% effective today i'm happy to say!

Many different Fungi grow here, some edible but we're a bit late in the year for most species. This (I think) is a Razor Strop, so named because it used to be dried and used for sharpening razors if leather was hard to come by....I seem to remember reading in my book that it is edible but has very little flavour, but DON'T quote me on it....I am too lazy to find my book and don't want to get blamed for any upset stomachs....or dead Bloggers!! It grows on dead Silver Birch and gets quite big.

This Heather is dead but still quite pretty.

Rosie....I think this must have been her favourite walk EVER! All the photos I took of her are a blur as she barely sat on her backside for a second and when she did she was panting, making photography difficult....she would keep disappearing for short whiles and come back with a look of pure delight in her eyes....tongue a foot long and totally exhilarated, it was lovely to see her enjoying herself so much! She IS in the first picture here, somewhere among the heather, no doubt snuffling some poor beastie out of it's slumber.

Deer fence....simple but not always effective! (A Hound will ALWAYS find the hole....and there IS always a hole!)

This photo makes me shudder, when I remember the many times i've looked along it's length only to see a deer sneaking across! Today, not a deer in sight. I always think that if you stood still in the Muiry for long enough you'd see one for sure, I suppose it helps if you aren't accompanied by a pack of baying Hounds, loudly announcing their arrival so it echos in every corner of the wood!

These photos were accidental....I pressed the button while fumbling for a treat, think they're cute though!

The views....

Rafford nestles in that direction.

Another side to Cluny Hill.

The Muiry is at the top corner of the golf course. I'm not a golf enthusiast but as courses go, Forres is a lovely one. It's also great when it's been snowing as it has some very steep slopes to sledge and you can walk the dogs over it as even here there's no-one silly enough to golf in the snow! It is however, a haven for deer and rabbits, I seem to remember seeing chickens on it too! Oh wait, it's all coming back to me now....Snoop, Black Ben, Soelta (in her fitter days), feathers, clucking (loud squawking!) Auntie Lynne and me waving arms and effing and jeffing while running towards the naughty buggers, Benny-Boy (the unlikely accomplice) trying desperately to hump my furry boots while I attempt to run through deep snow- difficult enough without 8st (10, if you consider the ice that had attached itself to his coat) of randy dog clamped to your leg....ah, them were the days!! I must post a photo of my furry snow boots, I found them in the back of the cupboard the other day, very fetching they are....well Ben thought so!

....but I digress...

From the top of the field you get a spectacular view right across Findhorn. Clearly my camera has not picked up the fine detail, we'll need to drag Sue up here one day....I hear she has a very fab new camera! The field I was on was bought by a large developer some time back, so I heard and was due to be built on (housing scheme), nothing happening yet though, I wonder if the credit crunch is to blame? I'm not complaining anyway, we had a grand walk!