Put a ‘spring’ in your step on one-a-day lockdown exercise
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As we enter the sixth week of lockdown restrictions, John Davidson looks at the nature springing up closer to home
I must admit to missing the mountains and the more remote adventures I would normally be embarking on and looking forward to at this time of year.
But each time I head out for my daily walk, run or cycle, I’m trying to appreciate the natural world that is all around us – part of us, in fact.
I count myself among the lucky ones at the moment: I’m still working (from home) and, while living hand in glove with your family 24 hours a day can be testing, we are together, and we have outdoor space in the garden.
One thing that still eludes us, however, is all this extra time people keep talking about. With work, home schooling and a two-year-old to keep entertained, we certainly haven’t gained any hours to fill with social media memes or more constructive pastimes!
Thankfully, the season is in our favour. Spring is a time of rebirth and hope, which makes it that little bit easier to stay positive about what lies ahead in these uncertain times.
On foot, I’ve been drawn to forests and trees on most of my recent outings. The branches dripping with lichen in the evening sunlight are a true blessing for the soul.
My eldest daughter Clara and I spent a good 10 minutes on one recent walk with our necks bent, staring up into the top of a tree trying to identify a bird singing. We’ve also seen a female goosander on the River Ness and spotted more common garden and woodland birds in the neighbourhood.
Another aspect of my “one a day” outings is looking for flowers, and there are so many of them around just now.
The heavenly smell of the gorse, alongside the lovely popping noise its remaining pods make as they release their seeds, can really put a spring in the step. I had this on a recent run where the path weaved through the middle of two large bushes, filling my nostrils with the scent and definitely spurring me on.
Primroses have been looking their best in the sunshine recently and their pale yellow petals with bright yellow centres are enough to put a smile on your face during their brief flowering spell.
One of my favourite flowers is the wood anemone, which is widespread on woodland floors even in suburban areas just now. It has white petals, which can be pink-ish on the back, with yellow stamens, and leaves that I always think look like coriander, though I’m sure there’s a more technically accurate description somewhere.
A similarly beautiful flower is wood sorrel. Its white petals have pink veins with a yellow centre, while its stamens are white and its leaves rather like large clover ones.
At the minute I’m quite happy to stop even during my runs and take a closer look at the nature around me. Knowing it will be the one time I’ll be out that day – shopping trips excluded – makes me really take the time to appreciate it, and the glorious weather of recent weeks has certainly helped that.
There are plenty more flowers and birds I’ve seen that I cannot identify, but I’ve been taking a photo and trying to look them up when I get home. Even garden flowers are often a bit of a mystery to me, so hopefully it is all adding to my knowledge for when we can get back into the hills and further afield.
In the meantime, it’s worth noting that access rights and responsibilities under the Land Reform Act remain in place, despite news of various ‘unwelcoming’ signs appearing in some places.
It is a sensitive time for landowners with lambing and calving taking place, young livestock in fields and the increased risk posed by Covid-19, but rights of way and other routes should not be closed off.
There are more people exercising closer to home at the minute and these increased numbers are clearly adding to pressures being felt in some areas.
We must all follow the official government guidance when exercising, which includes following reasonable requests to avoid particular areas, such as farmyards, fields with pregnant or young livestock, and other busy working areas.
This is in addition to maintaining social distancing and allowing farm workers to go about their business without interference.
Landowners must also respect access rights and are encouraged to use helpful signs to highlight issues such as where pregnant livestock are being kept and, if necessary, to suggest reasonable alternative routes.
Of course, rights of non-motorised access to land is directly related to responsible behaviour as set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
More detailed and clear guidance on access, including specific information about access during the coronavirus lockdown, can be found at www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot. It’s well worth a read.
