I have of course expected Liz to sleep late, as being on holiday meant to her that she could lie in, and get up at eleven, and I did not expect her to be ready to drive somewhere before after lunch. It is a bit frustrating, as I love the mornings, as that is when the air is fresh and clean, and all kinds of wild animals could be seen grazing, or like the beautiful baby rabbits, frollicking around. On our previous holiday to Skye we had a few tiffs, but I gave up the struggle, as I knew that it would not be in my power to get my friend out of her bed earlier!
So this morning I packed myself a piece (sandwich), filled the flask with tea, donned my walking boots, and set off to find a safe place from where I could climb up the huge mountain. I had to stay on the road, as on the one side was the mountain, looking down from its dizzy heights, and on the other side was a fence that I suppose protected the crops on the field from the deer, although I could not make out what was planted inside this camps. There was also a few sheep grazing away lazily with the morning mist almost enveloping them.
I came to a farm on my right, where a very friendly dog came to say hi, trying to shoo me down the farm road, but I think the farmer's wife would have complained bitterly to get a guest at that time of the morning. A little way on I at last found a piece of mountain that was not too steep, and as there was a sign of a not too frequently used footpath, I started on my climb. It was quite tiring, but up high I could hear the call of a male deer, and I decided to climb until I could see why he was calling like that, and I was not disappointed. As I came round one humongous rock, there, right in front of me was this beautiful female deer, grazing lustily on a green patch, and as such green patches were not much too be seen so high up, she was really enjoying her breakfast.
I heard the stag call again, his voice much like that of cattle, but much hoarser, and then, between two big rocks, this magnificent animal appeared, and I caught my breath in sheer wonder at the size of him, and his magnificent antlers. Must say, he lost some of his manliness when he came cautiously down the mountain, then stopped, and let out a plaintiff cry for his mate that was just a bitty pathetic! I think he was pleading with her to follow him, but she was not going to let go so easily of her breakfast, and just ignored the calls that were becoming more and more pleading.
I sat down under a rock to have my own breakfast, and gasped at the scene over the loch that met my eyes.
By now the mist had lifted a bit, and looking over the water I could see Staffa, that was quite near, and in the distance the small island of colonsay, and a bit further on the much bigger bulk of Ulva. I was very content sitting in the midst of all this beauty eating my breakfast, and was glad when madam deer decided to after all follow her husband, as he was looking a bitty forlorn up there, with his poor voice getting hoarser and hoarser!