It’s all very sinister, isn’t it? Our garden struggles with long dry periods each spring but last year it carried on right till September. Now very wet though! Wildlife must really be struggling.

What would you expect normally? 20 years ago in Edinburgh it was late January before snowdrops showed, more recently early January. So this is quite unusual.

Well, the joy of Scottish winters in a maritime climate means it could be -5C next week or +10C. But there’s no denying the general trend of each year getting warmer.

Not today, but I actually saw it for the first time last week! I was going to let you know. It was sitting on a branch and flitting back and forth for a while at the far end of the pond. Amazing!

I agree although this particular context might be an exception? I walk there about once a month and each time see (what I feel is) risky behaviour towards cattle. Usually foreign tourists - who may not be aware of livestock behaviour and just find highland cattle cute?

Brrr! Hope the feel-good endorphins kept any relapse at bay!

Yes, I suspect more incidents involve farmers than walkers, but I never enter a field of cattle without working out which way to run if I need to escape quickly!

Thanks, I was always careful around livestock, but 20 years of working at Ramblers Scotland meant I heard about almost every incident. As you say, sometimes very serious outcomes.

The cows are far more patient than I would be!
No, of course signs wouldn’t stop everyone but it might mean some visitors would keep more of a distance. Seems some people view them as pets!

Have to say I’m always very careful around cattle, obviously more so when calves are around.

The person I photographed did touch the cow. And there was another couple along the path posing right next to a cow. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this and it feels like an accident waiting to happen.

If you prefer the long-form, intellectual approach , we're also doing a webinar this evening.

Why not scrap right to buy altogether? Councils surely have little incentive to invest in new social housing if it can be bought by the tenant at some later stage, whatever tweaks to the policy have been introduced. Scotland scrapped it in 2016 (and the sky hasn’t fallen in).

Yes indeed - but this is a major offroad leisure and commuter route in Edinburgh so can get pretty busy.