Early July in Glen Etive

‘Meanwhile in Alba, the seasons turned blissfully for Deirdre and Naoise. The woman, always the one for the wild places, made a fine home from each of the forests or lochsides on which they camped, and the brothers hunted the rich hills and glens of Argyll. It was the sweet summer of their love; nature was kind to them, and they lived and they laughed in the lap of her bounty.’

For me, it was the perfect storytelling to accompany the walk, the swim, and the research for a photography trip—a glorious glen, but always, like the story of Deirdre, a palpable sorrow is not far away.

(an excerpt from Fiona Davidson’s version of ‘Deirdre of the Sorrows’ as told on ‘The Language of Birds’ (1998), drawn by Fiona from the Ulster Cycle, and also the inspiration for other storytellers and playwrights, including WB Yeats: Deirdre (1907)).

Iain Stewart – 9 August 2024