This is one of my favourite spots on the Island. We found it by accident on our first trip here from Leeds, but it took me ages to work out where it was again when we moved here.
It's where I run most days and I absolutely love it. Over the months I've been in heaven watching it all come to life as we finally moved from Winter in to Spring and now Summer (it is summer, right?).
Most days I say hello to a Jay that flies from one side of the track to the other, as I'm running. I say " hello Mum" as I run past it which makes me smile. And as it often swoops past me just at the point in my run where I'm starting to struggle and slow down, I like to tell myself that my mum has sent it to me to let me know that I just have to keep going.
The girls both like to cycle while I run and Lily in particular likes to come and walk along the track, looking for birds and dandelion clocks. When we moved here she realised very quickly that getting outside always makes her feel better if she's feeling low, so we spend a lot of time bird watching together and just walking and talking.
And twirling....
And swinging....
I haven't seen a wild rabbit with this colouring or size before, but there were about 10 of them in the field one evening. Lily and I, and another couple (that we didn't know) ended up just standing and watching them for ages.
After spending a major part of my childhood living by the sea and having had grandparents that always lived on the beach, I am still drawn to coastal plants more than any other. They take me straight back to the happiest parts of my childhood. I keep wondering if it would be weird to fill my garden with them, when we live in a country village rather than a coastal village (albeit a mile from the sea)? I'm completely torn between a wildflower garden and one filled with coastal succulents.
The bird life on this route also gets me every day! I grew up wanting to be an ornathologist, and never lost my love for all things feathered. So seeing so many birds that I've never seen before has made me almost embarrassingly happy! This is a Blacktailed Godwitt. Crazy stuff.
It's the most stunning place to run and manages to distract me from the fact that I'm still sooo slow (or maybe it causes it!). I also run along the cliffs and around the village - both of which are incredible (and very different) but this is my favourite place.
