Walking the old railway line

The path, nearing the crossing with the North Dronley road.

Part of the route of the Dundee to Newtyle railway... 

    has been turned into a path for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders, and this is where I went walking this morning. 

The Old Meigle Rail Path runs from Rosemill to North Dronley (and there’s a further path on to Dronley Woods), and I joined it at a small carpark, part-way along the path, reached from the Dronley Road going north from Birkhill. From there, I walked towards North Dronley, though only as far as to where the path crosses the North Dronley road as the skies were darkinging, rain was threatening, and indeed it was a rather wet woman who returned to the carpark. But it’s a walk I’ll do again, going further next time; a walk through farmed fields, along a path lined with wildflowers, small shrubs and trees, hearing the sounds of summer, yellowhammers, blackbirds, blackcaps and other songsters and this day of Solstice.

(Technically, the moment of solstice was yesterday at 22.55; so last night was the ‘shortest night’ and both yesterday and today I'll think of as jointly the ‘longest days’. In point of fact it will be several days before the day becomes measurably or noticeably shorter… )

However: about half-way along my eye was caught by a particular yellow flower which was only vaguely familiar, and to the phone came out of my pocket. Next time, I’ll take more photos from the outset. The carpark itself had, unfortunately, some litter - why do people make litter in these places? - but from just a few yards along the path there was no more. I’ll put on field boots next time, though, rather than today’s walking sandals, as there’s need to avoid what’s left by the horses that clearly are ridden this way quite often. My sandals had to do quite a bit of side-stepping.

I had the path almost to myself today, though - there was one runner, and on the way back two cyclists, all of whom just kept going so that it was I who had to step into the grass at the side of the path - another reason for boots next time! They did, however, say ‘thank you’.

So, photos, starting with the plant which first caught my eye, and ending with a view of the path and a little piece of the birdsong.

John-(or Jack)-go-to-bed-at-noon, aka Goatsbeard,

 Meadow Salsify, and a few other things.

 I'm sure there must be a local Angus name for it...

Botanical name is Tragopogon pratensis.

Another image of the same flower.

Prickly Sow Thistle, Sonchus asper.

One which I do have to haul out of the garden,
though it’s really impossible to control it fully: Aegopodium podagraria.

Ox-eye daisies.

Common Hogweed, aka Cow Parsnip, with more Sow-thistle

 (and a few other things). Please don't ever confuse 

Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) 

with its much bigger nasty cousin!

At the entrance to a field... quite an assortment of things here,
including a Knapweed (not yet flowering), more Hogweed,
 Clover, grasses and the Trefoil.
(At least it looks like Birdsfoot Trefoil but I didn't look at the leaves,
and these are not clear enough in the photo. Could be Meadow Vetchling.)

And finally for the wildflowers, Nipplewort, Lapsana communis.
This seeds itself freely around, but it's not so often I see the flowers
as I spend a good bit of 'weeding' time hauling it from the
 garden. On a wildflower path, though, is where it belongs.

As I walked on, the most wonderful birdsong rose from the trees on the left of the path - the trees you can see in that first image at the top of the page. So here is a little of it:

On the way home, I picked up a loaf of bread and some sausages at Grewar’s Farm Shop. Lunch was good!