‘Twas the Season to be Jolly

Well, dear readers, it’s over for another year.

I hope all of you had a lovely festive season and Hogmanay. Indeed, for some members of the Glengorm community, the festive period was potentially a little too lovely… I, for one, am still experiencing a certain aversion to loud noises and intoxicating liquors (!)

Happily, the wildlife was always on hand to coax me from my darkened room. It’s been a real treat to see groups of visitors out to enjoy festive (if rainy) walks on the estate. It has also been a pleasure to spend time outdoors with my own friends and colleagues.

Perhaps the most memorable day was our very blustery trip down to the Bathing Pool. If you haven’t been before, the bathing pool is a neatly excavated square of shore in which a former owner of Glengorm – Lady Lithgow – enjoyed constitutional swims. The pool is filled by the tide, and otters can sometimes be seen practicing their strokes. One of my friends on the estate tells me that she found herself swimming with an otter here, and only realised when they got out together to dry off!

However, on this particular day, I don’t think any quantity of otters could have induced me to take a dip; just look at that sky.

As our party huddled behind large rocks to escape the wind, oystercatchers flashed past in  smears of red, white and black. Their loud ‘piping’ calls could only just be heard above the crashing waves, and I was almost certain that they would be dashed on the rocks as they crossed the bay.  Further out in the surf, seals could be seen bobbing like fat corks as the foamy water boiled around them.

It was certainly a bracing walk, but no less enjoyable for it. We even got a tiny bit of sunshine on the way home…

I’m pleased to inform you that this year’s events program is already starting to come together nicely (can I tell you more? Ooooh, I couldn’t possibly!) and that we have also started the design process for our new Glengorm Nature Lab, which will be located next to the Coffee Shop (ie. within easy reach of Gail’s scrumptious cakes…)

The Nature Lab will include information and activities for both adults and children, as well as being a base for the wildlife project. If anyone has any nice photographs of wildlife taken here on Glengorm , then please do get in touch; we are currently looking for display materials and images to help furnish the building.

More news coming soon,

Happy New Year to everyone!

Stephanie Cope

Glengorm Wildlife Steward