New Aberdour: A single ragged swallow

A perfect May  morning we decided to go in search of primroses. This involved a leisurely walk along the gorse lined  track behind Aberdour School to Mains of Aberdour. here we saw  the first butterfly of the season, a small tortoiseshell feeding on dandelions along the track. we crossed the road, found that the gate was open so walked  and down the field to the headland above the caves. 

First glimpse of the bay, looking east towards Strahangles Point

Walking down we were accompanied by larksong  and saw Kathleen Jamie's 'single ragged swallow' sweep in from the sea and a male yellow hammer conspicuous by his bright yellow head fussing about the dyke. 

The beach was almost deserted, the sea really was this blue!

The south facing bank at the top of the cliff between the Boat  Shore  and the Aberdour beach was studded with violets, primroses and celandines.  

We visited the kirkyard for the pleasure of sitting on the dyke enjoying the peacefulness and looking over to the den. many of the graves near the dyke are of Pennan folk, Gatts, Watts and Wests, some of the earliest carried here along the corpse road.

Rufus enjoying the sun in the kirkyard, too hot despite having recently been divested of his winter coat.  The temperature was 19c when we reached the car.

Greater stitchwort, (Stellaria holostea),  a modest member of the pinks family,  growing at the roadside  opposite the kirkyard.

Green  Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) bright and colourful at the roadside, there were also the first flowers of ground ivy among the grass on the bank.

This is a familiar walk to childhood haunts which Grey Granite likes to do each Spring, today was the perfect 'Glad that I live am I, that the sky is blue...after the rain the sun, this be the way of life till the work be done' sort of  day for such a venture.