As I’m writing this, it’s the most glorious evening at John Muir Country Park, the kind of evening you dream about all winter. Sunny and warm with sparkling light; an evening where you want to be outdoors. I’m observing this from the car, in the car park, as Richard and I are taking turns for our solo walks. Rather than being out for a few hours, enjoying this weather, we’ll probably have an hour’s walking at most, as there’s only so long that anyone (including the lads) wants to sit in the car – especially when it’s warm. So, clearly not an ideal set up, but, as I mentioned in a previous post, this has turned into my writing time. I’m sitting with the door open, listening to the birds, and there are worse ways to spend an hour on a sunny evening.
Our walks have felt so strange over the past month. I’ve missed Harris (as he’s been in recovery from an injury), and I’ve missed walking with Richard (as we’ve been taking turns to sit in the car with Harris while the other has a walk). And solo walks with Bracken are hard work. Harris wants to be out on an adventure. He lives for adventures. He trots on ahead, totally engaged with the experience, and always in sync with me, keeping an eye on where I am and what I’m doing. We’re a team.
There are evenings when the light just catches your breath. This was one of those evenings. We’d timed this walk at Yellowcraig for low tide – something I’d always advise if you’re visiting for the first time as this beach is so wide and expansive at low tide, while the tide line is high at a very high tide. They’re two entirely different beach walks.
It’s been a while since I’ve shared one of these photos. I started the #seawallscapes series during lockdown as the ash lagoons at Levenhall Links became a regular walk for us. I remember the lagoons from my childhood when it was an industrial site. At that time, the lagoons were still filled with water, but were slowly being filled up with ash deposits from the former Cockenzie Power Station. I remember walking round the individual lagoons, but really nothing else. I don’t recall gazing over the sea wall, for example, although I must have.
Just a few photos with this post – and a few words too as this was a very local walk, and these solo walks are functional. It’s about clearing my head after a day at a screen, and, on this walk in March, it was about enjoying some early evening light a few days before the clocks changed and we officially had our evenings back. On this early evening, the harbour was busy with people working on their boats; sanding, painting, preparing, as just days later these yachts would all be on the water. The sign of a new season ahead.
Several weeks back I was having a DM convo with a friend on Instagram. My friend was talking about wanting to write a book, and the struggle of finding the time to write, not only in physical time, but in having the head space to sit and focus. This resonated with me completely. It’s something I’ve struggled with for a long time. Writing for work is different because it’s work, but writing for the pleasure of putting words together and expressing thoughts or experiences – well, that’s a different challenge. Yet, as we were saying, we make time for other things, like Instagram. I devote so many hours there, particularly on the lads’ account, so, as my friend said, why not spend an hour a day writing? Just an hour. How hard can that be?