Sunday 6 May 2012

Glorious Gorse on Arthur's Seat



It's very cold for May, but yesterday we had lovely sunshine. Crafty Green Boyfriend and I wandered round Arthur's Seat, which is wonderfully yellow and coconut-scented at the moment because of all the gorse.

A lot of birds were singing, mostly chaffinches, but also a lot of willow warblers in the scrubby woodland around the lower parts of the hill (I seem to be hearing more willow warblers this year than normal, which is good because they're a species in decline) and chiffchaffs and blackcaps too. We also saw a kestrel flying around the hill.



15 comments:

Greenpatches said...

It looks beautiful. I do love the smell of gorse.

Greenpatches said...

Forgot to say that it takes me back to my epic trip round the Western Highlands last year.

shoreacres said...

I'm continually tickled by some of your words - chaffinches, chiffchaffs and gorse are wonderful words.

I have a friend who uses "chuffed" a good bit, too. I just laugh. I never know whether to think of a little train going up a hill, or a bird that's really fluffed itself out!

Beautiful photos - and a coconut scent? Who would have imagined?

Ms Sparrow said...

The Wikipedia site on Arthur's Chair led me to the bit about the 17 coffins found in a cave there which led me to Burke and Hare and the 16 murders they committed. That location has a lot of history!

origa-me said...

Did you see any stags with crosses between their antlers?
Thanks for visiting my blog BTW, we share of haiku, I have dipped my toe in the water of haiku a bit but shy to publish!

RG said...

Gorse takes me back to our year in Bandon, Oregon. Pretty to look at, pretty to smell. Get too close, hurt like ....!

It is all over there.

sewa elf said...

Nice article, thanks for the information.

Martin said...

I haven't been to Edinburgh for more than a decade, when I flew there for a conference. Even then, I only managed a brief look at the city. Next time, I'll be heading for Arthur's Seat.

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

Lovely photos!

Sandy's witterings said...

I do like the smell of gorse and a bit of sunshine too. Looks like an excellent walk. All we need is a bit of warmth to go with it.

Christina said...

So beautiful. Looks like a place where lots of secrets are stored.

RoadBunner said...

Ah, so it is called gorse! All that yellow definitely reminds me of my time in Scotland. BTW, we shall be in Edinburgh the end of the month for the marathon. I really wanted to hike up Arthur's Seat but I am pretty sure Boyfriend will be too beat from the race to want to do anything of that sort. I wanted to visit my old flat (and the gym right beside it where I started my running journey) so will at least get a photo-op with Arthur's Seat as it was right by the student housing.

eileeninmd said...

Wow,what a lovely scene. The yellow gorse looks pretty. I wish I could smell it too. Beautiful photos.

Carol Steel said...

These are lovely photos. Must have been a delightful walk.

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

How beautiful. I love the colors. I've never seen Gorse.