When a bear went over the mountain......

To see a black bear grazing on huckleberries in the wild must be one of the most amazing sights I have ever been privileged to witness.  When we first embarked on our “Wilderness” adventure, we had dared to hope that we would see a bear but knowing of their innate shyness, and the vastness of the area in which they range, knew it was always going to be a lucky chance. So when we awoke one morning to see not one, but two bears ambling about the mountain meadow above Lake Sally Ann, it was a moment of supreme delight

In the wilderness

We had no idea when we agreed to join our two inspirational American friends just what an amazing experience our trek in the Glacier Peak Wilderness would prove to be. We feel hugely privileged to have walked through this remote landscape enjoying the company of the many interesting people we met along the way. "Thank you for sharing your campfire" isn't something that has ever been said to us before so it was such a joy to hear and those that did sit with us, gazing into the flames, sharing stories, made our adventure so much the richer for that

John Muir

Recently, I’ve been captivated by the writings of John Muir, his descriptions of  life as a Scottish emigrant to America, vividly illustrating the harsh environment faced by those early settlers in the pioneering days of the mid 1800s. His prose is truly beautiful, depicting an affinity with nature and an instinctive attitude to “conservation”, despite the seemingly endless abundance of natural riches that the virgin environment provided.  Clearly a spiritual man, his writings reflect how his youthful enjoyment of the wilderness remained  throughout his life and left a lasting legacy  in a way that would have delighted and humbled him