Hogmanay Walk: Kirkton to Rathen



Fields flooded with still partially frozen melt water, wreaths of snow on Mormond and in the ditches, is there still more to come?



The flooded fields support large flocks of wildfowl, hundreds of unidentifiable ducks in Wet Fold and on these fields near Kempen Hillock, whooper swans.There were curlews and dismal crows in the fields, a patch of white feathers on the Line  where a pigeon had met its end.

This morning we enjoyed most of an end of year walk from Kirkton to Rathen Station, round by Hillhead of Cairness and Invernorth returning along the line. The last mile was marred by coinciding with another walker who decided to walk along with Rufus and me, completely ruining the last part of the walk. How much one misses when having to emerge from one's head make conversation.The thaw which began several days ago has melted most of the snow but wreaths remain in the shade of the embankments and in places on the line. There are filthy black piles of snow dumped by the snowplough at the roadside The extent of flooding in the fields is extraordinary. By Rathen Station we saw roe deer tracks in the snow and noticed that the young chestnut saplings near the Golf Club have been striped of bark, presumably by the deer.

An original Harper Ironworks gate close to Mill Farm.

Close to Rathen Station this fireplace, complete with fire basket, is all that remains of a linesman's hut. It is usually well hidden by the rosebay willowherb - now reduced to bare stalks.