Autumn life on the West Highland Way

I've not posted anything for a while, which is a sign that things have been progressing too slowly on the mission statement and that 'real' life has taken over for a while. This weekend, however, the sun has been shining (a miraculous three whole days in a row) and although there is a chill in the air and the leaves are starting to change colour, it's put me back on track a little bit.

Saturday was all about starting to do the big autumn garden clear out. This was the first year of the veggie patch, and it's been a mild success although not quite the self sufficient idyll I had envisaged. I blame the weather, but I have a sneaking suspicion it may also be down to my lack of knowledge about what I'm doing. However, there's still been plenty to eat and I decided we would have a weekend mini harvest festival with some of the successes. I dug out the potatoes, rescued the last of the sprouting broccoli and rhubarb and lifted some of the miniature carrots and onions. This was more than enough to feed us for the weekend on some tasty warming autumnal fare. First up was some lentil soup - the only soup both my children will eat without looking like I am trying to poison them. Next I made some rhubarb and apple chutney (our apple tree is awash with fruit which I am thinking of selling on the black market to all the hard pressed English cider makers), then in the evening a chilli which I washed down with a glass of West Highland Way beer from the Loch Lomond brewery.

After a fine night's sleep I woke up to see the sun shining again and felt the need to take a long walk so, clearly influenced by last night's beer, I set off on the first leg of the West Highland Way. Our house is just a mile or so away from the path, so I grabbed the dog and set off up the hill and enjoyed every step of the way to Drymen in beautiful autumn sunshine.

My husband and I walked the West Highland Way three years ago, and I've only done little parts of the route since, but it really is a great thing to do and my walk today was a reminder that maybe it was time to plan a new challenge.

If you're a whisky lover, or just visiting Scotland and feel you should check out a distillery, you should definitely stop off at Glengoyne. The first leg of the West Highland Way goes right past, and it's a lovely spot with great whisky. We loved it so much that 18 months ago, we chose to get married there in the tasting room which overlooks the waterfall. Such a great day, such a bad hangover. Every time we go past it brings a smile to my face and when real life is bringing you down, it pays to have a little reminder of the things that are really important.

Tonights evening meal of sausages with home grown roasted potatoes and onions, followed by apple and west highland way blackberry crumble with my family was the perfect end to a lovely day in a lovely part of the world.

A weekend of local living

So this weekend it was time to put my money where my mouth is and start doing more to support local businesses whilst shunning the supermarket baddies. I started with a trip to Sainsbury's (whoops) but I kept my spending down to a minimum and only on the things I would struggle to get elsewhere. Still, I felt like a bit of a sham so I tried to make up for it from there.

On the way home I picked up my first Mollinsburn organic fruit and veg box from the village deli, Pestle & Mortar. It's a brilliant wee shop packed full of interesting things and it felt great to be using it for more than just an emergency supply or special treat. The veg sack was great. Definitely good value, the produce tastes wonderful and it has been fun playing ready steady cook with the contents all weekend.

Next up was back to the home baking to keep us stocked up on goodies. On Friday I russled up an orange and almond cake, a batch of chocolate chip cookies and two loaves of Bertinet rye, caraway and raisin bread using the flour that had arrived in the week from Shipton Mill. I also got some more sourdough on the go, which I baked off on Sunday with mixed success. Both loaves tasted great but one was a flat pancake as I've still not mastered getting them out of the proving baskets.

On Saturday I went to top up the fridge and my tummy from the Loch Lomond Food Festival at Lomond Shores. My bags were full of tasty sausages from the Extraordinary Sausage Company in Kippen, pork pies, juicy olives, salami and beer from the Loch Lomond brewery.

Meanwhile I'd sent my son and husband on a mission to Fantoosh Fish in Milngavie to pick up some lemon sole for our dinner on Sunday. I cooked it in a gram, ginger and garlic batter with spiced home grown potatoes, beetroot raita from the veg bag, and some steamed organic spinach and sat back to sip my bonny n' blonde local beer in a very smug and contented way.

A good start to a new way of doing things.