Feed

I started the day trepidatiously. Here it was, the biggest day (18.5 miles) with the hilliest terrain and the worst forecast weather so far. My walking companions were waiting for me as I left the hotel, comparing notes with a couple who were walking the John Muir Way in the other direction and who were warning me about exposed sections on the hills. Keith was there to join us again for a short while, as was one of my oldest family friends, Lindsay, while Alan - who volunteers for Sustrans around Balloch - had elected to chum me the whole way. Keith showed us a couple more local things as we left Strathblane, including the new community library, and we tramped uphill and onto the Gowk Stone Road. Keith and Lindsay had to turn back here for other commitments, and Alan and I carried on, on an unintended extra loop of the forest (lesson - chat less, navigate more) and onto the West Highland Way, past the first of the Carbeth Huts, a community of over 140 huts in existence since the 1920s. My stamping station stop today was Edenmill Farm Shop, where my 'Auntie' Wendi (Lindsay's mum) and pup Minty met us, and filled us with sugary drinks and cakes to ease the journey. The stamp was strong and sideways. By this point, we knew the weather window was closing in on us as Storm Agnes swept up the country from the south west, so heads down, one foot in front of the other, round the rollercoaster track skirting Burncrook Reservoir and sheltering quickly in a pine forest for our packed lunch, as a robin watched carefully for crumbs and the rain found its way through the needles to us anyway. From there Alan knew the route well and was able to guide us the remaining miles along the road past cottages and farms, joining route 7 of the National Cycle Network, getting the first glimpses of Loch Lomond and then into Balloch Country Park, past the castle and to Alan's local for a congratulatory pint. Alan is immensely good company and, at 77, has a lifetime of stories to share about his time in the police and mountain rescue, and as a golf caddy and ski tourer. Plus some secrets about his music tastes - what's said on the walk stays on the walk. Importantly for me, we also spent some time talking about his experiences of volunteering for Sustrans, giving me valuable feedback that can sometimes get lost in so many other tasks. So a very wet but very rewarding day. And finding a gluten-free fish supper rounded it off, while my kit dries in my guesthouse room. One more day to go. What on earth am I going to do on Friday??

As a group we decided to take our Apple birds feeders to our local Green Space - Springburn Park. We made our way to some lush green woodland where we decided the feeders would do the most good. Working with Alice and Peter we decided on the most suitable locations and also heights for our bird feeders before getting to work and hanging each individual feeder. Our plan is to revisit them next week and while some of us had visions of the feeders being attacked in an avalanche of brilliant beaks and the razor sharp gnawing teeth of mice and squirrels the rest of the group hoped that there would be more than just limp hanging string floating in the wind when we return. Our investigation into Nature, The Environment and Active Learning next week!! To be continued......

The second part of our day would see us working with Alice and Peter within the college as we created some very tasty bird feeders! Using Small Sticks we had recovered from our morning at the park, Apples and Sunflower Seeds kindly supplied by Alice we got to work. It was tricky coring the apples before embedding the black and sharp seeds through and into the skin of the apples. With sticks for the birds to perch while they feasted on the seeds deep in the flesh of the apples our feeders were complete. The only question that remained was where now to hang them......

With the help of our Amazing Support Workers as well as our friends from FOS and the RSPB we worked close by the second of two ponds within the park. Water Fleas swarmed within the small examination containers that we filled with the help of our Support. We talked about Backswimmers and Caddisfly Larva and wondered at these most amazing of mini beasts! Talking! Listening! Doing & Learning we are finding are useful tools as we travel along the road of this Exciting Nature Adventure!!!

Pond Dipping was part of our planned activity and with rain jackets at the ready we set off once again. Louise AND Josephine from FOS took care of us with safe parking, water and snacks while Alice and Peter (RSPB) blew our minds with the wonders of the mini beasts found in the murky depths. Springburn Park has three ponds two of which we were to find were quite different........

Progression was the name of our Learning Game as we set off once more into the Learning Environment we are growing to love. We are lucky to be joined again this week by our friends from FOS (Friends of Springburn Park) and Alice and Peter from the RSPB.