Windygates Wood

Tractor tyre prints in frosted grass and mud near Kersewell Mains.

This cairn is built within a far larger ruined one from way back in time. According to Canmore - Scotland's public archaeological service - it is a prehistoric burial cairn, and measures about 20 metres in diameter. A raised curving bank can clearly be seen to the East of the summit, but elsewhere the circle is a bit sketchy. There are quite a few 'rickles' around - this word, which I had never heard before, is used in a 1940s surveying report, and means 'a loosely piled heap'. Canmore also mention another report which states that in the early 19th Century human bones of 'an unusual size' were recovered from the cairn. Maybe giants once roamed these hills.

I've no idea if some of the detail in these pictures gets lost once they go online, but if it doesn't, zooming in on the sky should show a few flocks of birds which ultimately all headed Northeast. I had always thought that it was only flocks of starlings that were called 'murmurations' but it seems that a murmuration can refer to any old flock of birds - it's just that starlings do it in bigger numbers than other birds, and the National Geographic say that up to three-quarters of a million have been spotted in a single flock. Why birds regularly gather together in such numbers before heading off to roost for the night is unclear. It is often stated that it helps them keep warm and that flying in a big group puts off predators. This may well be the case but doesn't really explain why they don't do it throughout the day. I have no idea whether these were starlings or not!

View towards the Pentland Hills.

Geocaching is a type of global treasure hunt of people looking for caches, or hidden stashes of objects. Geocaching may also be described as a series of hide-and-seek games, where hiders provide online clues for seekers. Seekers use global positioning system (GPS) devices to find hidden caches

Edge of woodland at the southern end of the Pentland Hills.

A long straight earthbank which may once have carried a hedge.

The wood continues towards the North Medwin water as a strip wood. Beyond the trees is a vast area of rough grazing.

Some very heavy rain nearby.

Plantation off the Calla Road.

Looking northeast from Stanemuir Road.

Sheep pasture and wind turbine.

A small covered reservoir.

Adjacent to a small covered reservoir.

Looking southwest to the farm and the shelterbelt along the farm drive.