Woollie Weekend

Spent the last couple of weekends doing conservation work with the National Trust, seeing friends and running.

First was a day out at Kellie Castle in Fife where we were planting up a new apple orchard and then this weekend was a day at Hill of Tarvit, also in Fife. 

I love the sweeping expanse of the grounds and the giant yew hedges at Hill of Tarvit and it looked particularly atmospheric this weekend because the weather has been glorious, cold and wintry, but the sky has been blue. There was snow on the ground at Hill of Tarvit which meant we didn't work on the hickory golf course, which has been reinstated in recent years and where you can play a round of golf using hickory clubs and tees and balls that represent the early 20th century golf experience, but in the woods behind the house instead. 

We were chopping down laurel, dragging it down the hill to be chipped and then spreading the chips on the muddy footpaths to make new surfaces. I spent most of the day with a wheelbarrow, a spade and a rake creating new paths with the laurel chippings. 

The tools of my trade.....rake, fork and wheelbarrow

The newly laid path

There were signs of spring around, aconites poking up through the snow, and snowdrops galore...

Today,  I drove to Tayport, across the river, and ran along Tentsmuir Beach to Tentsmuir Point, with the sea on one side and the forest on the other, frost underfoot and the sun overhead....a beautiful day for a run!