The Long Walk

 20 Apr day 3

Up at 7 and out after toast to see more bird ringing. The wind had switched to the east and they were hardly catching any. Did see them handle a black cap that had been ringed earlier that morning - daft bird had hit the nets again.

2nd breakfast of porridge, then all five of us walked up the West Path to the Battery; a very steep descent to a tiny pair of ruined cottages and two 19-pounder cannon that were used during fog in the latter half of the 19th century. What a place to live! We keep reminding ourselves that we are seeing the island at its best, light easterlies and clear skies.

On we walked to Jenny's Cove at Halfway Wall, where Warden Lucy had a telescope set up to watch the puffins. We could also see them very well through our binos (I have rented a pair because Uncle Hugh's have a very narrow field of view. There was much talk about the various different seabirds which went over our heads. The puffins though are delightful, especially their crash landings on grass and water.

We walked on while the other three headed back. By Devil's Slide we saw, and Merlin bird app confirmed the call of, a peregrine falcon. We thought we might make the Threequarter Wall but both felt strong on reaching it so carried on all the way to North Light and the North End where all we could see was sea and smudgy Wales on the horizon. After half an hour lying on the grass we returned on the main track down the centre of the island. We saw no-one after leaving Jenny's until we were south of Halfway; it felt wonderful, having this wilderness entirely to ourselves, accompanied only by legions of skylarks, wheatears and swallows. The Wheatear would sit on the next stone along that marked the path, as though monitoring our progress. At each Wall we had a short rest and parcelled out the last of our food and water.

Near the Quarter Wall we were overtaken by Lucy who had the speed of youth despite carrying the telescope. Our first human for 3 hours. She noted our falcon for the evening recording session, which we didn't plan to attend. We were a bit tired and stiff as we stumbled into the house for three cups of tea, then a hot bath, then swift half round the corner before dinner cooked by Guy and John which was much appreciated and swiftly consumed. We didn't last long after that, in bed by 9 again. The step counter recorded over 20,000 steps, over 8 miles, which is a personal best.