By: Blonde Two
Glen Suie (meaning ‘level place’ or ‘seat’) does indeed have a most enticing level area at its foot. Situated just above the River Livet, the glen threads it’s way underneath Carn an t-Suidhe and Corriehabbie Hill (see last year’s post) for four kilometres until it reaches the watershed (beyond is Glen Fiddich where the River Fiddich, according to Mr B2, does not run with single malt).
I was supposed to be walking up the glen to find the Elf House (cave) marked on my map; but after a five kilometre walk out, I was seduced (it is the only apt word I can find) by the empty homes that I found on the Suie. I use the word ‘homes’ here purposefully; although in complete ruin, isolated and uninhabitable, both of the buildings that I explored still gave the impression of domesticity, of being busy and full of life.
It sounds, even to me, fanciful now, but I had the feeling that I had been there before; that in fact, the larger of the two buildings had once been my home. I explored for a long time and did a lot of standing and looking. It was the abandoned washing line posts, that surely should have been hung with white sheets, billowing in the soft Highland air, that struck me as being the most poignant.
I tried to continue my journey up the glen, but only got as far as the ford 500 metres ahead, before I felt called back to the houses. There was no denying the call, so I returned to eat my lunch leaning against one of the enclosure walls, and relaxed as the atmosphere seeped into my bones.
Mr B2 by the way, did the same route and much further by bicycle. He also found the Elf Cave (which had evaded him last year). I didn’t like being beaten to it, but was impressed by his navigation skills (he must, at some point, have had some great training!)
Did you meet any elves? We have a Pixie Cave here and every year a horde of angry pixies descend upon the church and kidnap the bellringers. There’s an acute shortage of bellringers.