Devon differences

I am now back home on Skye after celebrating Christmas and New Year in Devon.

 I had Basil with me in Devon, so was obliged to undertake the compulsory twice daily ‘walkies’. This is not actually a problem – I think I enjoy the outings as much as Basil.

On the very first ‘walkies’ back on Skye, I was aware of ethereal differences between where I had been and where I was now in the ‘feel’ of just about everything around me.

 The physical surroundings were similar – mostly in Torquay I walked in an area of well established mixed woodland which actually includes many fine Scots Pines. The paths were dryer (no rain at all fell while I was down south, rendering my spare trousers, boots, socks and numerous dog towels unnecessary).  But there were hills to climb, and signs of wild animal activity.

 No – it was the intangible things that were different.

 It wasn’t temperature – if anything, in actual degrees Celcius, Devon was colder than Skye on this occasion, and anyway, since the start of living here I have been convinced that we have a different kind of ‘cold’ here.

 It might have been sounds – in Torquay there was always a background cacophony of dogs barking, distant human voices, engines of cars, lorries, motor cycles, aeroplanes – most of which were more apparent than the sigh of the wind through the trees. On Skye the loudest noise is the silence. Stand motionless, hold your breath, and on a still day you can strain hard and hear no more than the distant rush of water in a burn as it splashes over rocks on its way to the sea. There may be an occasional caw from circling crows, and twitter from small birds as they flit among the twigs, but mostly, all you hear is the silence.

Or it may have been the air – in Torquay the winter air is often damp with sea mist, and is scented with noxious particles of pollutants from all those engines, and all the central heating systems in all the houses. On Skye, the air is just air. Fuzzy lichen (in my picture below, taken yesterday in Dunvegan wood) is only able to grow in unpolluted air.

 And of course,  Skye also has fairies....