the glow of summer

Written By Fiona Reid
A man and a wirehaired dachshund sit at a driftwood shelter tucked behind the dunes, with glowing light on the dunes in the background and in the clouds above.

Eyebroughy to Gullane, 28 June

I’m writing this on a dreich and damp Thursday in January, a day to be indoors, although the forecast for the next few days looks no better. So it feels like a good moment to rewind to this sunshiny coastal walk in June last year - from Gullane towards Eyebroughy and back again, although these photos are from the return route.

Back in December, I decided to do monthly rewind reels on Instagram, but as I scrolled back to the start of 2025 I realised that there were so many walks that I hadn’t shared at the time - or rather, I’d shared them as stories but not as reels. So having initially thought I’d do a rewind of twelve reels throughout December, it’s evolved into a rewind of many reels over the coming weeks.

And the same is true here. There’s so much that I haven’t shared and meant to, so rather than feeling overwhelmed by all those photos and potential posts, I’m simply going to chip away, one walk at a time.

The view to Fidra from Eyebroughy beach, with the sun glowing on the island, and a rocky shore in the foreground, edging the dunes.
The view towards Fidra island from Eyebroughy beach, with rocks in the foreground. It is low tide and the sea is calm. The sun is glowing on the island.
The view along a pebbly and rocky shore, with a calm sea at low tide, as the sun is setting casting a glow across the dune grasses.
Golden lichen on rocks, in the sunshine.

This was one of my favourite walks of the summer, and the first photo above is one of my favourites of Richard and Raf. It’s funny looking back now, remembering these walks as a three when we’re now four, but the reality is, reactivity aside, I really enjoyed our days as a three. Okay, not always in the walks from the end of 2024 and the first few months of 2025 as I was struggling with Raf’s reactivity then for a number of reasons - and this was really impacting on my mental health.

But as we moved into the summer months of last year, gaining confidence in Raf, understanding him more, and also with the extended daylight hours that made it much easier to avoid people, I started to really enjoy our walks together. Our connection grew and grew. Walking with Raf also reminded me of walking with young Harris. Rather than painful comparisons, where reactive walks reminded me of the peaceful walks (and lads) we’d lost, these walks brought back good memories. I felt lighter. My headspace shifted.

And when I look back on this walk from June, that’s what I remember. Feeling settled, enjoying the moment. Being inspired by the light as the sun was setting. Appreciating the simple beauty of these scenes, and feeling really grateful and happy to be out exploring with this lad.

A path along the dunes, with golden sunlight washing across the grasses, and a rocky and pebbly shore.
A driftwood log showing the detail of the broken, textured end of the log, with textural green coastal vegetation in the background.
A small grouping of pebbles at a driftwood shelter that's tucked behind the dunes.
A man holds a wirehaired dachshund, sitting in a driftwood shelter tucked behind the dunes. The man is smiling to the camera. There is sunlight glowing on the dune grasses in the distance.
Miniature wirehaired Rafferty sits beside Richard at the driftwood shelter, gazing off to the right. He's wearing a Ruffwear harness in tones of grey, tan and ochre, echoing the hues in his fur.
Miniature wirehaired Rafferty sits beside Richard at the driftwood shelter, gazing off to the right. He's wearing a Ruffwear harness in tones of grey, tan and ochre, echoing the hues in his fur.
Looking along the dunes, as the setting sun glows across the grasses, with clouds above also glowing with the light. A man is walking away from the camera, in the middle distance.
Close up of a driftwood log, turned on its end, showing the textures of the wood in the low sunlight. A second log lies behind it, with grasses around both.
A man walks down onto a beach at low tide, with the dunes sweeping in a curve behind the shore. The sun is setting, casting a warm glow across the scene. A miniature wirehaired dachshund walks beside the man.
The view across a rocky shore at low tide, with the setting sun glowing across the rocks and through the clouds.
A beach at low tide, with the setting sun glowing across the wet sand and in the clouds above.
A beach at low tide, with the setting sun glowing across the wet sand and in the clouds above. The sun sits just above the horizon.
A beach at low tide, with the setting sun glowing across the wet sand and in the clouds above.
A beach at low tide, with the setting sun glowing across the wet sand and in the clouds above. The sun sits just above the horizon, just a few minutes from disappearing from view.

Eyebroughy towards Gullane, East Lothian, 28 June 2025.

Fiona Reid
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