In the morning, we ambled along the River Aray searching for salmon as they leaped along the ladders in the water. The ride then entered ancient woods where our noses were filled with the heady aroma of crisp clean pine air. The environmentalist pointed to the abundance of lichen on the trees as a testament to the lack of pollution in the area.  My lungs could not get enough!  No sound was heard except for the sound of our horses’ hooves crackling the leaves beneath them and an occasional call of a bird. The peace enticed your mind to be still. We seized the opportunity to jump over fallen trees which crossed our paths.  What a delight to jump natural objects!

After a picnic lunch on the riverbank, our gaits were a series of trots and canters as we rode to quaint village of Furnace for a glimpse of farming life in the 1800’s. The rocky terrain begged the question how one could farm the land.  The people and cattle lived under one roof.  Witch hazel trees in front of a house kept witches from entering. The bed frames in the house looked the size of a modern’s child bed attesting to the short stature of the people.

Our evening ended with the music of local musicians in the pub where we gathered. Our guide filled our ears with Scottish lore; leaving us to decide what was fact and what was fiction. However, I did counter that a “haggis” was as real of a creepy monster which lived in the Scottish woods as a hoop snake putting its tail in its mouth to roll down a Pennsylvanian mountain.