Didn’t we get the good of the day……?

Freda trying to imitate a horse

This was the refrain from Mary and me over the Christmas hols, as we were so fortunate with our timing when we went for long walks. Particularly on Boxing Day and last week, when we went down to Tyrella for long walks.

The night had been blustery and wet, but the morning dawned bright and sunny and we piled into the car and off we went. The walk was great, 6 miles of beach walking with hardly anyone else about, as if we were in the furthest flung reaches of Donegal. The sun on the sea was so bright, and the breeze was cold and brisk, but as we were well wrapped in our woolies, we didn’t feel the cold, although Susan’s feet took a while to thaw out. Freda the dog had a good swim, as is her wont, not mine.

The tide was out, so at Tyrella that means a huge expanse of sand to walk over and get lost in thoughts. Plenty of birds about, but no rare ones. Flocks of sanderlings, knot, lapwings, golden plover and Brent geese, especially along towards Ballykinler. The military range was off duty, so we could have walked on and around to Dundrum Bay if we’d had the will and legs.

We sat and had a picnic at the rocky point between Ballykinler and Corbett’s beaches, not a soul about, and basking in glorious sunshine. When we got in the car and were heading home, it had clouded over and there were some spots of rain, a prelude to the deluge to come. Our smugness was complete – “didn’t we    get the good of the day?”

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Mary and Dermot and Forage