Having unpacked all my stuff and settled into the cottage I went for an explore. I was mainly looking for fallen branches, rocks etc that would be good props to set up some photo opportunities with the Pine Marten. While I wanted to get the classic shots of them posing on mossy branches and in the grass I wanted to try and get something different.
There was a stream nearby and I noticed a fallen branch covering just about the width of the river. I decided to leave a trail camera there overnight to see whether the Pine Marten were using it to cross the river. They're incredibly resourceful animals and, if you leave food out for them, they'll find it wherever you put it.
I went back to the cottage at about 6.30pm and had my first tantalising glimpse of a Pine Marten. Out the corner of my eye I saw the swish of a tail at the bottom of the garden as a Pine Marten disappeared from view. Unfortunately this was my only view of them that evening, but at least I knew they were around.