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View while crossing the bridge over river Dee
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The title is quite intriguing and interesting.... and so was this short trip to Banchory, to witness the salmon spring run. A few weeks back while searching for nearby hiking trails on internet, I came across a post describing the wonderful site to spot salmons leaping in river Dee (Banchory, Aberdeenshire). There were videos of salmons propelling high in the air to cross the rocks and rapids in order to swim upstream.
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| Salmon's giant leap against all odds |
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| Life of a Salmon from egg to death |
It was fascinating and on further reading I found that every year salmons swim thousands of miles from their native atlantic waters to the rivers here in Scotland for breeding, where they were once born. The baby salmons reside in the rivers till the age of two to three years, before migrating out and undertaking the long voyage to return to their feeding grounds in Greenland and North Atlantic. It is not long before the mature Salmons return to their natal rivers to find a mate and begin the cycle of life all over again. These creatures are a perfect example of extreme migration, possessing a peculiar ability of finding their way back to their exact natal site. For that they have to swim upstream and leap in order to cross the natural or man made barriers and rapids. This phenomenon of leaping can be observed at specific spotting sites during October/November (winter run) and February/March (spring run).
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| The Salmon running Track |
The timing was perfect and Falls of Feugh (the salmon spotting site) being an hour away, was a good choice for a weekend jaunt. We started early on the Saturday morning and before even reaching the destination I was smiling in hope of the spectacular site that was going to unfold very soon. In my mind I had already pictured it a thousand times and how I was going to capture it. But as they say not everything goes according to the plan and this was one day where everything that happened was anything but planned. First the weather took a turn for worse, before we reached Banchory a thick blanket of clouds covered the gleaming sunshine, drowning everything in the shade of grey. while we were walking towards the spotting site it started drizzling though sopped soon. These are minor weather fluctuations that one has to bear in mind before any journey in this island country.
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| Nice place to enjoy a quiet evening |
Falls of Feugh is a short walk from the city centre with some exquisite view specially while crossing the bridge over Dee. There are information boards describing the walking trails around Banchory along with the local vegetation and wildlife that can be spotted on route. As we never stick to our plans and always take a detour, this was no different occasion. The river with its pristine water was so alluring that we decided to go near the bank to capture the moment with its picturesque setting.
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| Route map |
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Bridge of Dee
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There is a foot path along a golf course right before the Bridge of Dee (leading somewhere) that provides an easy access to the rocky river bed by climbing down a patch of mud and rocks.
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| Trees awaiting spring |
It is slightly slippery at some places and requires a strong footing to get down but with the right foot wear it is no difficult task. Having said that I should mention the second disaster of day....In all the excitement I forgot to wear my trainers and instead I was sporting boots with couple of inches heels. Well! I still managed to get down to the bank with the helping hand from my husband and it was worth the effort. The site was very refreshing, with the soothing sound of lapping water that was occasionally being interrupted by chirping from the still bare tree tops.
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Rocky bank of river Dee
I must say that the photographs taken here would be simply extraordinary with a little support from the sunshine department.
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| Looking at the Bridge |
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Lovely coloured rocks underneath the pellucid water
I climbed back onto the footpath using all four limbs and finally we headed towards the Falls of feugh. The Bridge spanning the gushing waters is visible from far and there is a special foot over bridge for viewing.
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| Viewing bridge on Falls of Feugh |
It is not like the usual huge water fall that one would imagine, it is more like extended rapids with water cascading through the rocky barriers. The bridge provides a great view and the tree lined banks would look even more vibrant during summers with their greens. There are a handful of cute "love padlocks" with inscribed messages linked to the bridge that made me think.... I should have brought one!!!.
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| The cascading Falls of Feugh |
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| Locked in love |
The water level was high and so was my hope to see the salmon's giant leaps, but to my disappointment the salmons had decided to take a vacation that day (3rd in the row). I stood there for more than 20 minutes with unflinching concentration but there was no movement at all. I was heartbroken but I would not disappoint those reading this blog, so I have put up photographs that I found from other sources and there are few links at the end that have some great pictures and videos. I would go back again in the next autumn to capture the jumping salmons and I hope next time I will have my photographic experience with the salmons showcased
on this blog.
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Leaping salmon in Falls of Feugh
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Salmon leaping in Perthshire
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| Last glance at the falls |
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| On the way back to the city centre |
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| Colourful Totem pole outside Scout hut |
Weather salmons make appearances or not, Banchory in itself is a beautiful tranquil countryside that has been named the best countryside to have a home (press and journal). After the initial disappointment, I did enjoy the idyllic surroundings with the mist adding a different dimension to the place.
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| A private property....looks like an entrance to a castle |
As always, my husband had a surprise..... he had planned a walking trip through the nearby Scolty woods, that uplifted my sunken mood and we set out to our next destination....(with the hope that my boots would hold till the end). we had a good time strolling through the woods and climbing up the Scolty Hill. It was a great hike and all together a different experience, which I would save for my next blog...
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| Long journey ahead in the Scolty woods |
Somedays, things turn out a little different but the combination of disappointments and surprises keep adding spice to our buoyant lives.
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