Since Mum and Dad visited Cape Wrath (the most north westerly outreach of the British mainland) in the late eighties I’ve always wanted to follow in their footsteps. Continue reading
Cape Wrath – Nothing Beyond
Tag: Landscape
Nature’s National Flag – Jim Crumley
I’m currently reading ‘The Nature of Autumn’ by one of our greatest nature writers Jim Crumley, seems apt just now, and came across a small piece about nature’s national flag and Mark Rothko. In my previous post ‘Clarity, Colour and Emptiness’ the last image could easily have accompanied Crumley’s thoughts on, ‘the triple expanses of sand and open sea and open sky’
Clarity Colour and Empitness – Beaches of North West Scotland 1
We walked onto the small stone jetty at Droman, a couple of miles north of Kinlochbervie, and were struck at once by the phenomenal clarity of the water and the breathtaking colours that were refracted through its glass like qualities.
Sandwood Bay
Skye to Mull
The Cuillin at its best
Today was was a long sail; ten hours, with a lunch stop in Loch Scavaig,looking into the heart of the Cuillin.Continue reading
Lochmaddy and Over the Sea to Skye
A little hazy today, but the sea state was good and made for a calm crossing over the Minch to the north west coast of Skye. We made a course to Dunvegan Head and then closely followed the coast past Neist Point towards Macleod’s Maidens, an impressive group of three stacks off Idrigill head. A bit of fishing here, which bought us a good supper of Pollock and Mackerel.
Raasay to Lochmaddy
Again the weather was fine and we could cross the Minch to Lochmaddy and the Outer Hebrides, easily. It was flat calm all the way, but too late for a push to St.Kilda. We headed up the north east coast of Skye, past the impressive Mealt falls and Kilt Rock before heading west across the Minch.
St.Kilda …. Another Year
Today was our last chance for St.Kilda. If we were going to make it we would need to be at Lochmaddy tonight. The Kylebhan would need eight hours from there to reach the archipelago, an overnight stop and eight hours back. We had wanted time on the island as well, at the very least a day. The weather had cleared but the wind was still south easterly, we could get pinned in Village Bay or worse pushed onto the shore. It wasn’t going to happen.
St.Kilda …. Looking Doubtful
Our third day and not much progress towards St.Kilda but all enjoying the Inner Hebrides and the uncertainty of where we would be mooring the next night. This evening we found ourselves in one of the remotest places in Scotland, Inverie on Knoydart, only accessible by foot or boat.
Canna ….. but St. Kilda?
Woke up to a very wet day on Rum. Wind speeds were up too out of the shelter of Kinloch Bay. No chance to make a push to Lochmaddy where we would be in a position to make an attempt to reach St. Kilda. If we were going to be sea sick this was the day. Winds pushing towards 5/6 on the Beaufort scale, we were rolled and buffeted but out on deck it was exhilarating.
Destination St.Kilda
Just recently returned from five weeks up in the north of Scotland and experienced rain on only 5 days! Whilst we didn’t get anywhere near the contested 33 C recorded in Motherwell on the 28th June (thank goodness) we certainly struck lucky.Continue reading
Mull 1
It’s been a good while since I last posted a blog but a recent trip to Mull, and devouring ‘The Eagles Way’ by a favourite nature writer of mine, Jim Crumley, has made me think about getting ‘something out there’(funnily enough another title of one of Crumley’s twenty five or so books!)
Photography Walk One – Cwmfellinfach
We were lucky with the weather for a new series of walks with Caerphilly Countryside Services that started on Saturday, as I write this now there’s thunder around and some seriously heavy rain!
When Light is Magical : 2
Sometimes everywhere you turn light seems to be doing something extraordinary and it can happen when you are in the perfect place. It happened this summer in Glen Etive, one of the very best glens in the highlands of Scotland.
When Light is Magical
There are a few occasions when light seems more, much more than simply the everyday occurrence that we take for granted.
Walking Through the Sands of Time – Part Three
Never believe the weather forecast! It was going to be a terrible day, thunder, heavy rain and the risk of floods. We had a plan B, never sure quite what is was though and I put the canon into its underwater housing!
A few images from Scotland
Just a quick post firstly to apologise for the lack of activity on the site and secondly to preview a few images from a recent trip to Scotland.
Reclaiming beauty and the sublime
Llanridian Marsh, Gower
A couple of speculative days down on the north coast of Gower, at Llanridian Marsh, brought some interesting birds and intriguing light. I decided to pick one spot and stay with it all day, not moving at all.
Reconnaissance for WALK project
I was up in Liverpool on the weekend doing the first reconnaissance for a series of walks along the Sefton Coast path. It’s an area I know well from birdwatching back in the 70’s and not much has changed really.