This autumn has been ridiculously beautiful: warm, windless and glowing with colour. I was thinking yesterday, slightly morbidly, that if this were my very last year - or indeed my very last day - I couldn't really complain. I doubt if I'll ever experience a lovelier autumn. It's impossible not to wonder how many more I will see... .
Yesterday we got the new Borders train line to Tweedbank and walked from there to Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott. He was tremendously famous in his day but now very few people read him: his plots are exciting enough but he's extremely longwinded.
There were photo opportunities wherever we looked.
Scott built this beturreted mansion and people still visit it, so... what does that tell us about the power of literature versus the power of architecture? There are also pleasant gardens and lovely walks through the woods.
There's something magical about that slanting light, isn't there? It was early afternoon but already the sun was sinking in the sky. It makes you feel that you have to go out and enjoy it before it's too late. (Like life... .)
We crunched through the russet leaves.
On the return journey, the path ran alongside the River Tweed. I don't know whether Sir Walter did a spot of fishing, but if so, this would be a good place.
The way back to the station runs past Gunknowe Loch, which is actually man-made;
but the swans didn't seem to mind and neither did we.
Winter's going to come as a bit of a shock.
From your photos it's easy to see that you are indeed having a beautiful autumn. Ours is much too warm, will be 85º here Friday.
ReplyDeleteThese look like postcards--so gorgeous! Our weather has done a sea change and is now coldish(50s) and rainy off and on. I am constantly chilly! My late husband's last fall turned out to be beautiful too and I was glad for it.
ReplyDeleteOhmygosh! Your photos are so beautiful -- what a wonderful time of year to visit Abbotsford. For once, I've actually been to the place where you went for your walk so I could picture just where you were -- I would have loved to have had the time to walk in the woods and along the river like you did. We're having a beautiful autumn here too this year -- it will be sad to see it go!
ReplyDeleteLovley photos. It is a wonderful autumn isn't it? The leaves on the ground are beautiful too, all crunchy and bright.
ReplyDeleteI liked 'Ivanhoe', but downloaded quite a few more things by Scott onto the Kindle but haven't ever got around to reading them. Quite a few are long narrative poem things which are a bit difficult to get into.
It is a bit hard to resist 'doing the math' these days. But you are right about going out and enjoying it all.
ReplyDeleteGlorious pictures, thank you for posting them. I think this is the best autumn for many years, I am still enjoying it.
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