Today was a glorious winter's day. Cold but clear and with a frozen overnight fall of snow. It was the dry, Scandinavian type, powdery and fine backed by a keen eastern wind.
A water company van had drawn up outside the Long Barn to which we gave but passing notice, but to the sheep and deer in the Parkland it seemed to hold a greater promise.
After a cold and difficult morning finding forage, they seemed to have identified the motor vehicle with the familiar one that arrives to feed them. They are clearly not clock watchers. Not for another three hours was their lunchtime. The deer stood cool and impassive, but not so the sheep. They bleated vociferously and a group followed us closely for several yards, hoping, no doubt, for some handout and for which only disappointment was in store.
We walked a route crossing the Serpentine bridge and along past Menagerie Wood to look at the Queen Anne monument, a rather solid obelisk, perhaps in honour of her famed solidity. It stands slightly off the main path. Inscribed in it are many words, some of which can amuse as they carried the 's' that looks like an 'f' but without the horizontal line. We were not sure of the rules by which masons, and others no doubt, would employ two forms of the letter 's', but rules there clearly are. I am curious to discover when the habit died away and possibly began.
As we approached the structure, a kestrel hovered a few feet directly above the pinnacle. Hard pickings for the wild and domesticated creatures today.
On through the woods and back up via the plantation towards the Duke of Argyll. A heron was disturbed as a kestrel flew and hovered repeatedly as it seemed to travel a beat along the valley. The climb up South Avenue back to the house was bathed again in winter glow. There was a small group of others enjoying the dry clear morning. As we waited, watching the redwing and a robin in nearby trees, before going through the Long Barn, we said our farewells, thank yous and seasonal greetings to our Ranger guide Pauline and, for two of us, our training is complete.
The next time we set out we will flying solo. At least the year will have turned. Next time the sun will begin to be a little higher in the sky and be starting to stay around a bit longer once more.
