CUDDY'S WELL

Another August and another walk. We could not take part in this one, so I will, perforce, make it all up, perhaps with a sprinkling of truth and information thrown in.

Here is the merry band, ready to Ramble On and all looking happy to do so. Well, except for Dave, who looks a bit Dazed and Confused.

If you were really alert, you will have noticed that I have included the titles of two songs by Led Zeppelin in the last two sentences. If you didn't notice, you didn't really enjoy the 60's and 70's enough. They actually recorded 108 songs between 1968 and 1980. Can I get them all in, in a way that almost makes sense and that adds to the overall experience of the walk? We'll just have to wait and see. 

Having looked at the photos, I'm pretty sure they didn't do the Funky Chicken.

It wasn't long before the Friends were heading off the beaten path and into the deep dark wood. 

It was a bit tricky in places, but the vegetation was soon Trampled Underfoot.

Robin checking that there hadn't been a Communication Breakdown and Hugh, the photographer, hadn't just headed Down by the Seaside, driven by Desire.

No, he hadn't. They stopped to take in a view of the recently completed approach road and bridge across the River Nairn. The cars hurtled past as if they were Driving Through Kashmir. Yes, Kashmir. I rather think most of them would have preferred to have been Going to California.

The first of the chicken references on the walk.

The photo is just the very thing for a rake of song titles.

The girls were clearly thinking We're Gonna Groove and that Dancing Days were here. If Jimmy and Jacque's eldest grandson was there they could have had a little Boogie with Stu. If the farm had a different name they might have danced to Jenning's Farm Blues, but, instead, they looked as if they had one too many Brandy and Coke and were doing the Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, some Rock and Roll or the Candy Store Rock.

Once they got over their dancing, it was a case of C'mon Everybody and they headed off In the Light with Dave accompanying Maureen, the Sunshine Woman.

Passing by a nice little cottage, with an unfortunate porch extension and a dreadful side addition, but don't get me started on shitty house designs! It is a case of What is and What Should Never Be.

That's the Way - through the gate which doesn't quite match up to the rather fine gate post. The path does not, I am pretty sure, lead to Walter's Walk.

Dave, The Rover, is really Something Else. I can go slow if I want. In fact, I'm Gonna Crawl.

Decisions, decisions. Should we go South Bound Suarez or head Over The Hills and Far Away in the direction of The Ocean?

Dave made his decision and, in dong so, had a little tinkle on the Southbound Piano.

They were, I think, now in the policies of Kilravock Castle, which contains some very nice trees.

This elderly Beech has more than Four Sticks reaching the ground. Perhaps it was used as a Gallows Pole in the past.

It really is The Epic tree here.

Poor Tom, sorry, Dave, has a little rest. He is, after all, Ten Years Gone beyond the rest of us. I can just hear him saying Thank You, Bob.

Is he eating a Tangerine or is it just Tea for One?

Now, that's a big tree. You would need an LA Drone to see the top of that.

Despite my best efforts, this reminds me, just a little, of Jimmy and a deer at Mar Lodge! That image will never leave me, it plays out in my mind like The Battle of Evermore, no matter how much I try to Blot it out.

Like some sort of Carouselambra, they joined hands and had their own little Celebration Day . As they joined all Four Hands together, I'm sure I thought someone said Right Enaff, Darlene, hang on For Your Life.

It really was a whale of a tree, a Moby Dick of the forest, you might think. In reality it was a Sitka Spruce. These are very large trees, growing easily to more than 300 feet high - almost a Stairway to Heaven. They are by far the tallest of the spruces and the fifth largest conifer in the world. They are native to North America, being prevalent in a place called - yes, you guessed it, Sitka in Alaska. They are now considered invasive in the UK and efforts have been made to remove with them with No Quarter from some habitats. I don't know if many foresters have been caught singing the Immigrant Song as they cut them down.

How Many More Times will Maureen hand out sweeties on a walk? She does it through Good Times, Bad Times. sometimes In the Evening, when we're Out On The Tiles - she's just a bit of a Sugar Mama.

Cones. I'm not sure to which tree these belong - maybe a Cedar, but more likely some kind of pine. Certainly not Bonzo's Montreux or a Royal Orleans. (I thought I might struggle to get these two titles in, but it was almost seamless!)

Led Zeppelin wrote most of their third album in a little cottage in the Welsh hills, at a place called Bron-Y-Aur. It might have looked like this!

Wouldn't you just like to Bring It On Home to here and hang your coat up on The Hook?

How many shoots can you count. Two Ones are Won. Not quite, Dave. This looks like epicormic growth from burrs on the trunk of the tree. This tends to be a hormonal response to trauma of some kind.

Kilravock Castle. It is said to date from 600 years ago. Licence to build was granted in 1460 and confirmed in 1475. The Keep is thought to be of 15th Century construction rather than earlier. Significant additions were made in the 17th Century. The estate has belonged to the Rose family since the 13th Century.

There was a song about a hat in Led Zeppelin's catalogue, but it didn't concern Jimmy. It was Hats Off to (Roy) Harper. Roy Harper, for those of you of a more chemically altered state was a weird and wonderful founding member of Pink Floyd and responsible for most of their earlier, psychedelic meanderings. 

Jimmy was just answering the Wanton Song and felt Sick Again having to part with his hard earned cash.

Further on, the walkers came upon a sign marking The House of the Holy. You would expect to find a Whole Lotta Love in a spot like this.

From Christian to something else - a wee pile of white stones. Was this put here by a Black Country Woman? It certainly has a touch of the La La and a Misty Mountain Hop about it.

They were soon Wearing and Tearing down the path. They really had the Hots on for Nowhere.

It wasn't long before they were singing the Travelling Riverside Blues.

A bridge photo. Or was it a levee? You better watch out for When The Levee Breaks, especially If It Keeps On Raining. Then Your Time is Gonna Come! 

Ozone Baby!

Jimmy and 4 women. I think he fancies himself as a bit of a Heartbreaker. I'm sure I heard him mutter Hey, Hey, What Can I Do?

Dave beside St. Tristan's Sword, or is it Achilles' Last Stand?

Another two song titles I thought I was going to struggle with, but I seem to have found the ideal photo.

 

A lovely view through a White Summer to a Black Mountain Side. Well, actually a view across Budgate Farm to the Moray Firth and beyond. If I recall, Margaret Thatcher's Willie stayed at Budgate House on occasion.

Robin laments to Dave about past romance - The Girl I Love, She got Long Black Wavy Hair. Hardly a speck of grey now, though, despite everything, he said.

A big Toadstool. It would give you The Crunge if you were to eat it. "That mushroom was poisonous" is not what you want to be saying In My Time of Dying, is it? So be careful when foraging for chantrelles and the like.

A house I don't recognise, but it looks quite grand, with nice crow stepped gables, good proportions and a nicely subservient extension to the rear.

A well mannered house, I would say.

 An eagle on the lawn is a bit unusual as well.

An egg box, but not for eagle eggs.

Another nicely designed house. Above the door is an inscription (For Your Life) to the memory of Sarah Mary, Countess of Cawdor. She was the second daughter of the son of the Earl of Burlington, General the Honourable Henry Cavendish and she married the second Earl of Cawdor. She was a Maid of Honour to Queen Victoria, who thought her "extremely pretty, but rather delicate looking. She is very timid and quiet" Hardly a Living Loving Maid.

Dave having a word with his mother.

The clock on the gable of the old school at Cawdor. The time is wrong, though. The photo was taken at 1335! Teachers, eh?

Time for tea and cakes. Or maybe Custard Pie. I expect after such a long walk, there was 

the odd Bathroom Sound. Robin tried to blot it out, even though You Shook Me.

What can I say, I must get a subscription for someone's secret Santa, given with All My Love.

Back out into the wet and singing The Rain Song, or Fool in the Rain, perhaps?

The sound of the river never changes. The Song Remains The Same.

Beware of the Black Dog. They may say they won't bite but, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You!

Nice house, shame about the pole.

Chickens at the farm. Do you think that after dark there is a mass Night Flight.

The chickens crowded round them clucking I Can't Quit You Baby.

Jimmy fails to dispel memories of a deer at Mar Lodge!

 Walking back to Cuddy's Well along the Key To The Highway. 

Robin, minding his own business, is stung by a vicious and violent bee. Jacque and Pam shout out that they must get the Lemon Song to take the sting out of it.

The barbecue is ready. Anyone for a Hot Dog?

After his ordeal, Robin cradles a bottle singing softly to himself "Since I've Been Loving You" or, was it Since I've Been Loving Hugh? Is there something we have been missing all these years?

Just relaxing. Baby Come On Home.

Susan prepares a kebab or is it 10 Ribs And All?

Jacque opens the door for Jimmy. D'yer Mak'er asks Dave.

Ladies lounging in the sun.

Clearly an interesting and exciting walk, and so close to home for some. Jimmy and Jacque can relax and say Everybody Makes It Through. Hugh and Pam deserve thanks for the photos, but the words are Nobody's Fault but Mine.