Springtime Scotland

I was going to turn back. In fact, I had. I was waiting to pass some people on the narrow clifftop path when they asked me if I’d seen puffins. No, I’d replied slightly disappointed that I hadn’t. But they had just seen some flying past. That was all I needed to hear, I turned and hurried back to where I’d been waiting and watching for the little birds with the orange beaks.

Spring in Scotland. Crazy to think I’ve been here almost 8 months, and have seen all that the seasons have to offer. Spring is my favourite season, so when it finally thawed here and the first buds tentatively bloomed, it was time to explore again. This time of year is perfect for wildlife watching, and so one sunny Sunday a couple of weeks ago, I headed to Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve, in search of puffins. These highly endangered birds are sometimes spotted here, amongst a huge colony of seabirds who return each year to breed and nest, before flying off at the end of the summer. I’d missed this spectacle when I arrived in August, so I was eager to see it now. And I wasn’t disappointed. David Attenborough himself would have been lost for words. There were cliffs dropping away into the sea, and birds everywhere. They were diving and swooping, calling and plunging, filling every nook and cranny. It was incredible, like a wildlife documentary.

I walked on looking for puffins, and had almost given up when I bumped into those other visitors. When I returned, I watched for ages and was finally rewarded. A tiny puffin emerged from its nest in the cliffs. It stepped into the sunlight, looked around, then retreated. It was literally outside for a minute, but I was so delighted! Before leaving I had a picnic overlooking the waters’s edge, watching clouds hurry across the sky, daffodils waving in the wind.

I love taking the train here. I had a real adventure the other day when I headed to St. Andrews. This coastal town is well-known for its championship golf course, and is a train and bus ride away from Aberdeen. Its a beautiful journey; the train passes right next to the sea, horses and cows graze on rolling hills. A stag watched as we passed woodland, yellow rapeseed glowed on grassy slopes. We arrived in Dundee, and I caught a bus onward. St. Andrews was lovely; a picturesque town of cobbled streets, cutesy cafés and ruined castles. I did a circular walk to take it all in, past trees heavy with blossom, then sat in the sun with a tea.

One particularly glorious day, I rollerbladed by the sea, right here in Aberdeen. Not quite LA, maybe, but I had my Malibu moment. Lying in the sun, barefoot, it was hard to believe this was Scotland. Probably for one day in the year, but it doesn’t matter. Spring is made for exploring Scotland, whether in showers or sunshine.

Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve is a half hour drive South from Aberdeen. Combine it with a visit to beautiful Stonehaven (which I talk about in my other post). St. Andrews  is best reached by getting a bus from Dundee railway station. 

Have a lovely weekend xx

All photos my own and taken with the iPhone 8