Walk on almost any secluded hill and glen down here in Galloway and you will come across a memorial to the Covenanters who were sorely persecuted for their faith way back in the late sixteen hundreds.

Today was no different when after an evening out celebrating my birthday I thought I had better go and walk off some of the extra pounds I had accumulated.

With my head telling me I wouldn’t need full wet gear and the forecasters telling me something else I took the belt and braces approach and headed onto the rolling hills ready for any storm that might come along.

Must admit I had to push myself for my right knee was feeling every one of it’s seventy two years and is getting to the stage that I might have to follow my consultants advice and have the joint renewed.

Maybe – but I have a fear of hospitals and have seen enough of them in the past year and a bit so no doubt I will suffer for some time yet before I go under the butchers knife.

The weather held and shortly after missing a photo of two roe deer bounding away for the cover of a fir plantation – I came in sight of the stand of Scot’s Pine which marks the spot where the Covenanters held there conventicle way back in 1685.

I hunkered down out of the wind to share my oaty bread and chorizo with the worshippers and heard the voice of the early Presbyterian minister ringing out over the hillside as he chastised his secret flock for their sins.

There are no Redcoats with fixed bayonets on their muskets up here today chasing us over hill and glen so I rested my back against the monument —

as I ate my lunch in peace under a canopy of Caledonian Pine —

with a more modest memorial at my feet —

I may have missed the roe deer earlier but I did catch a pair of red kites  gliding gracefully on the thermals —

Oh yes – they are up there and it’s amazing just how much ground they can cover with scarcely a wing beat as they search the hills and bogs for food.

Seems I got my timing spot on for no sooner was I back in the house than the heavens opened and down came the rain.

But not on my parade 🙂