Up on the old logging roads near Kirkennan estate, I saw some wild roe deer. They are one of only two deer species that are native to Scotland, as well as red deer. Back in the 1700s, they were almost extinct here, but they can now be found across the country.

When we were walking the air smelled like fresh rain and wood. The deer were about 100 metres up the hill from us, resting in long, wiry grass and shrubs. From below, we could see their short mahogany fur blending into the vegetation. As we went up the hill we came to their resting place – the deer had gone, but we could see their hazel fur caught in the shrubs and indentations in the grass where they had been lounging.

A view across the Kirkennan estate, Castle Douglas

They had been lying on a small ledge protruding from the side of the immense hillside. From there, we could see all of Castle Douglas and beyond. For miles, almost all of what we could see were lush emerald fields, dense forest and a thick layer of fog settling above the landscape. I could feel the soft moss squashing against the bottom of my feet and the air, humid from rain, blowing against my face. The leaves on the trees were swaying like ballerinas. The beauty of the view was equal to the roe deer that call it home.
Isobel, 13

Read today’s other YCD, by Henry, 14: ‘A weary wheatear shows off his best feature’