A Wander In The Hills Poem by bilbo reid

Did you ever sit upon a hilljust at the break of dawn
And watch a red deer hind suckle its wobbly fawn
And gaze upon the mists below like some strange mystic land
Or listen to the dawn chorus as if it were a band
The ghostly image of the brocken-spectre reflects your image clear
As you wave your hand or point your stick, or even scratch your ear

The larks they sing with each wingbeat as they tower into the sky
I am sure that they are competing to be the first one high
And as they start on their descent they change their merry tune
And when their song has gone silent, their nest it is quite soon
The ravens fly across the sky from nest to feeding ground
Their voices barking like a dog makes quite an eerie sound

You heat your kettle on the fire within a ring of stones
Pack your gear into your backpack and eat your chese and scones
Then take your first steps of that day, along the mountain track
Stop to glory in the silence and take a quick look back
Then at the burn you take a drink and watch the otters play
Teaching their youngsters how to fish and hunting out their prey

The dew still glistens on yards of gossamer thread
It must take a wee spider hours, to create such a fantastic web
Istop for my lunch and take a well deserved rest
I spy three eagles soaring above me as i look up to the west
The youngster is squawking, either with fear or with joy
Whilst the parents seem to encourage it to keep on going high

I take a quick rest and replenish my water at the very next spring
Sphagnum and lots of bright green grass denote this important thing
Later that day i pass a wee lochan and stop for to rest my feet
Looking around i find a nice flat rock that makes a very fine seat
So i take out my glass and scanning around me a heron i did spy
Perhaps looking like a dinosaur from the past, who's ancestors once ruled our sky

So still he stands like a statue, no movement, and no sound
Awaiting the very next frog, or shoal of fish to swim round
When i am rested and my boots laced up tight i climb up to high ground
I search out a flat spot whereupon to camp for the night
Once i am sorted i gather some heather and get a wee fire alight
Dried soup and powdered tatties they make my meal a delight

That night i was woken by a squeaking and growling sound
Compelled to know more i crawled from my bivvy and shone a torch around
On a ledge below me, the sound was much louder now you could say
I saw there by the moonlight three youg fox cub's tumbling and rolling at play
So i ate cold baked beans for breakfast and then i brewed up some tea
The dawn was just fine so i took my time, as i dont carry a clock you see

With every thing stowed neatly away i slung my pack onto my back
Then took a scramble down the hillside where i could rejoin the track
As i glanced at yon lochan i had to smile as the heron it was still there
Or maybe he had sent for his mate and said to her you just fish there
Now when the midgies are out you don't hang about unless you've a point to prove
So i just strolled along at a nice steady pace, for it's fine when your on the move

After a long decline i came to a wood of mainly birch and willow
Bluebells a plenty, wild garlic too, and bog myrtle to put in your pillow
The cotton grass wavered in a gentle breeze and the frogs were croaking aloud
The blackbird did scold me for comming to close, and the cuckoo was shouting quite proud
I came out of the trees into brilliant sunlight, and i watched the dragonfly's play
The whinns brilliant yellow, and the rhododendron magenta, made this a colourful day

The sounnd of the seabirds and the much cooler breeze signified i was close to the sea
That was my target for my next stop, for a bite and a brew up of tea
And so by lunch time i had come down a long way, and was sitting atop some high cliffs
Looking out over the bay watching some gannets and a couple of sailing skiffs
For it's a grand idea to trek all alone espeacially at this time of year
To rely on yourself and have your own thoughts and remember the reasons we are here.!