Wings at Dunbeath Strath

Those who have been following my blogs regularly will know that I love exploring, especially this far north corner of the UK that is Caithness. I was out last weekend at Dunbeath Strath, basking in the late Autumnal sunshine and revelling in the bright woodland colours. The strath is a lovely walk to do because not only is it scenic but it is full of history, plus one of our famous writers, Neil Gunn, was born in Caithness and includes the scenery of the strath in his novels. To walk the path beside the burn is like diving into one of his books and becoming one of his characters. My favourite is Finn in The Silver Darlings, who liked to find refuge on the hill where the monastery once stood, but now all remains are a few rocks, but still the quiet sanctuary that Neil Gunn must have experienced in his day. There are other cultural remnants to be seen on the trail such as the Stone Age Broch and the now derelict inn at Milton, but the part I want to focus on today is the gorge a bit further up, know locally as ‘Soldier’s Leap’. Here it is featured in one of my paintings.

This is because every time I go there I am reminded of one of my own mishaps and how close I was to losing the assistant – the closest I have ever been to losing him, and believe me in his younger days he was a tearaway! The assistant (Tommy the dog) has been with me for eight years now. I rescued him when he was a year old and he made the transition from Brighton to Caithness too. He has been with me every step of this adventure and when I first arrived in Caithness he was all I had..sometimes he was the only thing that kept me going. It was tough, I hardly knew anyone here, but he was the constant by my side, my companion and my friend.

The first time we were out walking the strath I was entranced, but I didn’t know the landscape as it was all new. Tommy was off the lead as we climbed the steep hill beside the gorge. Suddenly a goat appeared from nowhere and crossed our path. Tommy instintively gave chase as he is prone to do, being a Lancashire Heeler, which are bred for herding. Familiar with the landscape the goat stopped dead in its tracks at the edge of the gorge (at least 40 feet up) but Tommy didn’t. He went over the edge..and plummeted through the air. Then there was silence..until I started screaming. My legs gave out and all I could think was that my dog was dead.

Luckily I was with someone who had heard me screaming and came running. They scrambled along the river to the bottom of the gorge. And there bedraggled, sopping wet, shaking, but otherwise unharmed was Tommy cowering on a rock. It was the height of summer so the burn was not full flowing, it was a trickle scattered with huge rocks and boulders. But somebody or something was looking out for my boy. He had landed in the only deep pool of water in the entire burn – a 6 feet by 6 feet pool…For that I am eternally grateful. The boy got his wings that day in more ways than one. Now I am older and wiser and so is he. If walking somewhere new he is always on the lead, especially along cliff edges!

This is Dunbeath Strath last weekend in all its Autumnal glory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoT9-R44tVI

So the moral of the story is..count your blessings, you never know what is round the corner. Yes I know my little dog isn’t going to go on forever but it doesn’t stop me loving him with all my heart whilst here is here. Some things are meant to be and I believe that day wasn’t meant to be his final day. He was needed to be my companion for many more years.

Asides from adventures I have been busy with a local showcase event at the Norseman Hotel. I am still working on commissions and preparing for my Open Studio day on the 28th November – all are welcome. Drop in any time between 11 and 5pm.

I have added some more prints to my collection including this one.

which you can purchase here:

https://havenhousehealing.comproduct/catch-a-wave-print/

Please remember me and other arty/crafty businesses when thinking about Christmas gifts. We rely on people buying our wares to continue doing what we are doing.

Thank you for reading my blog. Sending you lots of love.

Until next time,

Lisa Weller xx

Inspiring Art from the Heart of the Highlands