Checking for trolls

"The smallest billy goat Gruff was the first to get to the bridge. Trip-trap, trip-trap went his hooves as he walked across the bridge.

"Who's that trotting over my bridge?" growled the troll. "Billy goat Gruff," the little goat replied. "I'm going to the mountain to eat the tasty green grass."

"Oh no you're not. I'm going to gobble you up for my breakfast," laughed the troll....

Well, I'm not one of the Billy goats Gruff, but today seemed like a great day to walk up the track behind the house that snakes it's way up to Mt Herbert. Whilst the Packhorse Track is still closed for lambing, living at the bottom of the mountain, and backing onto to a farm where the landowner is happy for me to wander at will, gives me great access to its slopes.

Not far from home, this cute wooden bridge crosses one of the many streams that come down from the hills. It seemed to me perfect for trolls like in the fairytale above.

Talking of Billy Goat Gruff, it's a fairytale that used to give me the creeps - mainly on account of the grotesque troll that graced the pages of the Ladybird book. Apparently my mother tells me I used to ask to skip the troll pages as it freaked me out. Bless.

I can now confirm I'm not scared of trolls. Unless of course I come across one on the lower slopes of Mt Herbert. Then things might be different...