Made it to Murthly...

...across the hills from the Bridge of Cally side. Beautiful riding through the Snaigow Estate. In the distance I could see the site of the former 'Tin City' near Craigie. In the years pre and post the second world war, the local berry farmers housed their itinerant workers from Scotland's major cities here during the raspberry picking season. Apparently it was regarded as a holiday by many, with a communal kitchen and dance hall (all made out of tin of course!)

Continuing up past Ninewells farm I met an old fellow who kindly explained where the wells were - all nine of them -which took a little while! Stunning tracks through the estate, some a tad overgrown at this time of year, but Doogs just bulldozed through of course, followed by little Ladybird. She has clearly decided that the best place to be is following that great white bum (er Doogs's I mean, thank you) and follow it faithfully she did, even past some rather aggressive cockerels and a very dead cow in a farmyard. The only good cow is a dead cow - Doogs

Unfortunately she drew the line at some rather odd drains in the track and leapt sideways over one, putting the first dent in herself... Bless June, who just happened to be passing (going up to feed the carnivorous cockerels I think). As a thoroughbred owner, June is well practised at dealing with leg wounds (only kidding June) and gave me a hand to wash and put a wee dressing on the leg before I was reported to World Horse welfare! We had a good chat - and many thanks to her for her help.

Like cuts on the leg often do, it was bleeding profusely from what, thankfully, turned out to be something pretty minor. Not much to see tonight anyway.

Stopped outside a dilapidated old farm building en route to let the ponies graze for a while and was rewarded with the silent white rush of a barn owl. Delightful, and more enchanting than the silent rush of a thousand clegs which we experienced in the woods coming down off Caputh Hill - nature is not ALWAYS wonderful.

Ponies in good fettle tonight - only nine hundred and eighty-odd miles to go!