Wild Moment: Joanna Fern
"We sprang into action, grabbed our dogs, formed a huddle pressing their ear flaps closed while trying to bury our own ears into our shoulders (no hands left!)" Find out what caused the commotion on Skye.
I have two wild moments that remain in my memory forever, both on the Isle of Skye - a place I love for its ruggedness, inaccessible hidden gems and changeable weather. Both experiences are a reminder that modern living is never very far away, even in these inaccessible, quiet spaces.
Talisker Bay is a great favourite of mine, the gentle walk down past the reeds, looking and listening for corncrake. The secluded beach with high cliffs at each side, the solitude is breath taking. We were relaxing on the sand enjoying the peace suddenly out of nowhere, a jet appeared over the sea turning towards us to travel over the bay inland. There was an eerie silence as we stared at it flying closer, followed by a deafening roar and a whoosh of air as it passed over our heads. The sound lingered until it climbed and is gone, restoring the peace and gentle roll of the waves.
My second wild experience (and close encounter with jets) came within the Red Cuillin. We were walking through a gentle valley with our three dogs, when two fighter jets appeared in tandem, banking round the corner, flying towards us. They were so low we could see the pilots, but yet again the eerie silence lulled us into just gawping at them.
Suddenly the realisation of just how low they were in the enclosed valley hit. We sprung into action, grabbed our dogs, formed a huddle pressing their ear flaps closed while trying to bury our own ears into our shoulders (no hands left!). Not very successfully because their roar was so loud, but within minutes it was a distant hum. Our dogs didn't know what hit them. They just looked bewildered, while I was buzzing.
To this day I wonder if the pilots could see our panic as we rushed to grab the dogs and crouch in a huddle as they approached. It's funny how experiences affect different people (and dogs).
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