Careering Through Nature: Carrick

Sunday, 18 October 2015

Clambering the Rocks of Carrick

After the Shore, we went to Carrick. My parents and her Scottish friends always considered Carrick the superior beach for reasons of snobbery I think - fewer people, classier people - while I always found it a little out of the way and dull would you believe, when you return and see how lovely the place is. As a kid, you want ice cream vans and sand and sea you can play in without fear of being mowed down by a member of the Scottish middle class on a windsurfer.

It was a rocky place, with sand only exposed at high tide, and being out on the sea proper a lot rougher than the Doon.

At low tide, there is an island offshore that can be walked to. Many old crofts seem to inhabit this and other islands, gable ends all that remains after hundreds of years exposed to wind and tide.

The day was still a fine one, and what was most amazing were the amount of butterflies - peacocks and small tortoisheshells - and silver Y moths that were feeding off a yellow flowering plant on the shoreline. It was almost as many butterflies as I'd seen in one place all year, and this was Scotland in mid October! With a hot sun, it felt about 6 weeks behind the actual season.

My sister and I explored, clambering over rocks like a gazelle and a gallumph, before I ascended Knockbrex Hill next to the beach to admire the purple hills across on the Isle of Whithorn. A group of people were learning conservation with a map of the bay up on high. Another man was water divining, a rather easy occupation right next to the sea, one would think.

Bird life was less evident than at the Doon, our avian friends being less snobby than my parents as well, but a heron put on a fine show of elegant flying and stalking at a distance. While no doubt laughing at my climbing.

Si

All text and images Copyright CreamCrackeredNature 18.10.15