By Bernie Bell

Pics by B&M Bell

It’s the time of year for Snowdrops – and Binscarth Woods, near Finstown – is the place to see them!  I’ll begin by drawing attention to the notice on the gate at the beginning of the walk….

… all points worth bearing in mind – generally as well as specifically.

Looking over the scene, from the Oyce of Firth in the sunshine…

…across to the beginning of the woods, we noticed the first of the drifts of snowdrops through the trees – what a sight!

Then through the gate into the woods and along the track, where we first noticed the smell of wild garlic – not in flower – just the leaves coming through and the sunshine bringing out their scent. I just stood and breathed it in – I likes garlic – the smell made me hungry!

Down through a gate/gap in the wall to the left, and along by the river…

…with snowdrops, snowdrops and more snowdrops….

Also, a fine selection of what might be called Health & Safety Nightmares!

Thank goodness kids still play that way.

Continuing along by the river as far as is practicable,  then turning up to the right – yet more snowdrops….

…a scene very reminiscent of Gustav Klimt’s paintings of Beech and Birch trees https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/gustav-klimt-trees-paintings/  …..

….and a Woodland Cyclops!

Through a gate back onto the main track –  turning left – through a big gate – onto a road – along another small  path to the left – heading towards the Loch of Wasdale.  Walking along this path we saw a big clump of Cotoneaster, still covered in luscious looking  berries, and wondered that the birds hadn’t stripped it in the recent bad weather.

Through another gate, and, cresting brow of the slope, we were overlooking the Loch with its little island and ruin….

On the Loch, there were a few Mute Swans, lots of Whooper Swans, and a lot of Pink-Footed Geese. We could tell that they were Pink-Footed Geese even at that distance, because instead of honking, they make a ‘wink wink ‘ noise – honest – they do!

Enough was enough for that day, and so back down the main track along the side of the woods, back to the car, and home to Flett’s vegeburgers for lunch.

Sunshine, snowdrops, and the scent of wild garlic on the air – what a place to live!