The Woodland Waterfall

Deep in the heart of the oak woods a special wee waterfall, which Algy loved, splashed its way merrily down the hillside. It tumbled over the rocks into a small, clear pool which was perfect for fluffy birds to bathe in, then trickled out again to wind its way down to the quiet loch below. Algy often visited this spot in the summer, when the mosses and ferns which lined its course were a beautiful, fresh green, but he rarely came here in the darker months. For in the cold shade of the woodland there were still ice formations around the banks of the burn, even though the weather was undoubtedly getting milder, and the chill grip of winter hung on longer here than in other spots. But the splashing of the waterfall was delightfully soothing at any time of year, and Algy lingered for a while to watch the water play, and listen to its constant lullaby…

Algy hopes that the ice which still has a grip on so many of his friends in the northern part of the world will melt very soon now, and be replaced with all the comforts of spring 🙂

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Feeling thirsty after sitting in the sun for so long, Algy went in search of a nice, cool drink. In some parts of the world it can be difficult to find fresh water, but in the Scottish Highlands there is almost as much water as there is air… So it wasn’t long before Algy found a pretty wee burn running across the moor and tumbling down the hillside. Once he had had enough to drink, Algy perched in a bush over a tiny waterfall and watched the play of light and shadow on the water as it bubbled and gurgled and swirled around before rushing down the hill to meet the sea.

Algy flew over to very pleasant spot he knew, where he could perch on a comfortable, moss-covered rock beside a tiny wee waterfall, and watch the pretty stream of sparkling water trickling down onto the pebbles below. After weeks of mist and rain, everything was lush and green, and the moss was decidedly damp to the tail feathers, but the sun was shining for the moment, and it was a lovely place in which to rest and listen to the constant chatter of the water on the stones.

Algy hopes that you will all be able to enjoy a restful, calm and happy weekend, and will take care to stay safe xoxo

It was a surprisingly warm day for the West Highlands, but in the ancient  woodland it was pleasantly shady and cool. Algy moved to another mossy seat, a wee bit further up the burn, and gazed up the hillside. He was fascinated by the way the water had carved its way down the steep hill over the years, creating many pretty little waterfalls and tiny splashing pools among the rocks. Although the water had washed the thin, peaty soil away to bare rock along its course, the sides of the burn were richly lined with mosses, ferns and many tiny plants which loved the damp atmosphere, as well as slender birches and other trees which grew close to the steep banks and overhung the water. It was a wonderful place to spend a lazy spring afternoon…

Below the great oak tree was Algy’s favourite woodland pool, where he had first met the robin in his adventure The Tree with a Golden Heart. A woodland burn tumbled down the hillside through the trees, and at this point it splashed into a small shaded pool beneath the great oak tree before it continued its journey down into the quiet loch. Algy loved to perch on the large mossy stone at the edge of the burn and watch the wee waterfall and the ripples that travelled across the shallow pool, which was also an excellent place for a fluffy bird to bathe…

Algy moved to a spot where he could watch the water more closely. It was still raining and the burn was very lively, but there were so many burns tumbling down the hillside that it did not flood. Algy was always astonished by how much water the West Highland landscape could manage. No matter how hard it rained, the water just flowed away in no time at all. He thought of all the unfortunate people whose homes were being flooded by the torrential rain falling on Britain, and wished that they could all live in such a place too. But of course they were not fluffy birds, and life was undoubtedly more difficult for humans… Possibly they might not even want to live in such a remote and wild spot!

The weather had turned very stormy indeed, with sustained wind speeds around 50 mph and gusts much stronger, so Algy beat a hasty retreat from the coast and made for the woods some distance inland. He was fed up with the battering of constant gales, so he flew to a spot where he could shelter beneath a canopy of ancient oak trees, and perch on a spongy cushion of moss or curl up in a soft bed of old bracken and fallen leaves. He loved the old woodlands, and he especially liked to perch beside a woodland burn. As it had rained almost every day recently, water was gushing down the hill at great speed, and Algy sat and watched it tumbling past him for quite some time.

Algy hopes that you will all be able to find shelter from the storms and have a very happy and peaceful weekend xoxo

The weather had turned very chilly, so Algy decided to fly back to the woods, where it was considerably more sheltered than on the exposed coast. In between showers of hail and sleet, there were moments of bright sunshine, and despite the brisk, northerly breeze, it was pleasant perching on a branch beside the waterfall, watching the constant stream of water tumbling down in never-ending motion.

Algy wishes you all a happy and peaceful weekend, well sheltered from cold winds xoxo

The gale had raged for a day and a night, and then calmed down to the normal steady wind that very rarely ceased. Algy looked up at the grey, grey sky, and out across the ocean, towards the horizon. He could see that it was about to be exceedingly wet again; indeed, it looked as though it would probably rain for the rest of the day. Flying up the brae from the beach, Algy paused by a tiny, trickling waterfall. By tomorrow the water would be hurtling down the hillside, dancing and frothing with white foam as it tumbled down to the sea, but at the moment it was trickling as peacefully as could be, as though it did not have a care in the world. It made a gentle, soothing sound as it found its way through the rocks, and Algy was happy to perch on a damp clump of heather, just listening to it while he waited for the rain to start.

Listen to the sound of the tiny trickling waterfall which Algy heard.

West Highland woodlands are very rarely without a supply of fresh running water, so when Algy set out to explore the woods he soon came upon a pretty wee waterfall. Although the late autumn sun was very low in the sky, it still conveyed some slight warmth, so Algy perched for a while on a sunlit branch, to watch the tumbling water and listen to the sounds that it made…