Today I walked in a wood.
Sunday the 15th December was a dry day and not too cold. I headed west on the A835 to a small Ghost Wood by the Inchbae Hotel. Chosen because it was a short drive from my house and not far from the road. Plus, Google street view showed a lay-by for parking – not easy to find on some stretches of Highland roads.
The walk in was boggy and very wet, but with boots and waterproof sealskinz socks on, I was proof against the elements.
I realised very quickly that I was heading for a new looking deer fence which seemed to go on for miles both west and east. But, as deer fencing is part and parcel of the Ghost Wood scene, I was not deterred and walked up the hillside to meet it.
I started to follow the fence, walking east, paralleling the road I had just driven along, as I knew eventually I would meet a commercial forest and a short path back the road if I could not get across the fence.
Beyond the fence, to my left, I could see the sparse woodland rising up the hill – mostly old birch trees with new patches of birch stands dotted around.
As I walked, I began to realise I was walking along a well trodden deer path which stuck very closely to the fence line. I found this to be quite a profound experience, as my actions were mirroring that of the deer herds as they navigated this hillside. Both of us looking for a way in.
I finally found a gate in the fence, which was not locked but had a hefty chain latch.
Once into the wood I was able to wander at will across the tufty grassland and among the stands of trees and shrubs.
The Ghost Wood and The RainForest 