This time we are going to a different mountain, a very different kind of outdoor activity. We are going to Mount Naranco, a hill which plays the role of Oviedo‘s most famous viewpoint (you can quickly understand why).
In fact, we are bidding Oviedo farewell because we are moving to Scotland. Daddy got hired in a hospital up there so I am going back to my homeland!
As I only know London, I am really excited about getting to know the rest of the UK. Mum just told me that I’m going to love it, they say it is really similar to Asturias so then I have no doubt I would be in love with it within a second or two. 🙂
So, there we were enjoying the sunset and the best view of the city for the last time in a while. And we had another important mission: Planting a tiny cute oak Mum and Dad had at home.
Mum found it when it was just a baby oak and took care of it at home but, as we can not carry it with us to Scotland, we decided to plant it in Mount Naranco, where is going to grow happily ever surrounded by other oaks.
Starting a new life abroad and planting a tree are two activities so related we wanted to complete them with a paralell planting there in Scotland. That’s why Mum chose Trees for Life, Scotland’s leading conservation charity. We wanted to create a kind of symbolic link before going there so we also planted a tree in Scotland at the same time to help restoring the Caledonian forest. So nice! I’ve planted my first tree in Oviedo and another in Scotland as well ❤ I hope we can go volunteering someday and help to plant them ourselves!
And the message I included there is the beginning of Lord Byron’s charming poem ‘The Highlands swelling blue’:
He who first met the Highlands swelling blue
Will love each peak that shows a kindred hue,
Hail in each crag a friend’s familiar face,
And clasp the mountain in his mind’s embrace.
Long have I roamed through lands which are not mine.
Adored the Alp and loved the Apennine,
Revered Parnassus and beheld the steep
Jove’s Ida and Olympus crown the deep.
But t’was not all long ages’ lore, nor all
Their nature held me in their thrilling thrall;
The infant rapture still survived the boy,
And Loch-na-gar with Ida look’d o’er Troy.
Mix’d Celtic memories with Phrygian mount,
And Highland linns with Castalie’s clear fount.
Forgive me, Homer’s universal shade,
Forgive me, Phoebus, that my fancy stray’d;
The north and nature taught me to adore
Your scenes sublime, from those beloved before.
I was quite sad because I had not enough time for exploring Asturian mountains properly, but Dad told me not to worry and swore to me we are coming back on vacations to carry on with the planned hikes. Therefore, in the meantime, I can show you my Scottish bearadventures.
Tic, tac, tic, tac, tic, tac…
So see you soon, lovely Oviedo!
Best wishes
Mr Bear The Mountaineer
MrBear the Mountaineer 