Tag: Islands

Iona Day 2 – Part 2

To the North

The Augustinian Nunnery established in 1203

So the afternoon came with heavy showers before settling down to a fine day with a good breeze. It’s about a mile and a half from where we were staying to the north of the island, passing the ruins of the Nunnery and the iconic and atmospheric Abbey, which I would visit at length on another day.

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Handa Island – Seabirds in Trouble

Handa is an island that simply tugs you back. It has it all; a wonderful evocative sense of loneliness (no Skomer hoards here – although it is still possible to get a quiet spot if you walk in the opposite direction to the Wick); a chance to get close to the ‘pirates’ of the bird world; archaeology and ancient history and a landscape of low coastal reefs to seriously imposing 100 metre Torridonian sandstone cliffs.Continue reading

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Islay Again and the Geese

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Back to Islay and the geese. The aim was to place them in a wider context and I was fortunate that the weather was with me (seems like it’s not been very good since then). The mornings were superb and straight out of the van I was able to work with a perfect backdrop and the geese coming over the waters of Loch Indal. Trying to work them together is not such an easy task, focusing is all against you and the focusing spot had to be continually adjusted.

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Islay whisky

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Sherry and Bourbon casks at Bunnahabhain

Islay’s about the perfect destination in winter if you love both geese and a good malt. For such a small island it has a wealth of fine distilleries and they are wonderfully located. Eight distilleries in such a compact area all responding to the natural characteristics of the island.

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Gulf of Corryvreckan whirlpools

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A recent trip up to Scotland gave an opportunity to visit and experience the Gulf of Corryvreckan from close quarters. It’s somewhere  I’ve wanted to see properly close up for many a year. I’ve passed it by on a number of occasions, first on family holidays back in the sixties then taking my own kids to have a look as we sailed towards Colonsay.

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Friends of Skomer and Skokholm

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This Sunday saw the annual Friends of Skomer and Skokholm meeting at Bishop’s Cleeve near Cheltenham. It was the first time I’ve been but will certainly be making it a diary event from now on. Not withstanding a wealth of current information on the state of the Island’s wildlife and updates on current plans for some major changes, particularly to Skokholm, it was a chance to meet up with some old friends from my time running photographic trips to this part of Wales.

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