Took a run out down the Sleat Peninsula on the Isle of Skye down to Armadale. The views were fantastic and Pat and I had a great time having coffee and cake and a walk around the castle and gardens.

Nice few days in Portree

The last few days have been, what would you call it, changeable :D

Two days ago it was pouring rain and blowing a hoolie, yesterday and today the sun has been splitting the sky. I took a wander down to the shore at Bayfield and the view was pretty good across the loch. The only issue was the number of campervans in the car park. We are right in the middle of the Skye Live festival. This is not a bad thing at all. Pat and I went to see Tidelines on Thursday night and they were awesome but trying to get past the tourist vans, barbeques, tables and chairs and everything else to take a photo was difficult.

I liked the end result.

Yesterday evening was different. In common with most of the UK we got a fantastic view of the Aroura Borealis, this time from our back garden. I would have gone out but I had been to the pub listening to music and didn’t want to drive the car to get out of the village.

Cuillin in January

Just been out to the shore in Portree, looking south across the loch to The Cuillin. I know it’s January and I should expect it but it’s very cold, absolutely Baltic! The hills did however look absolutely gorgeous.

A day out to An Stòr

I had just realised that I hadn’t been out with the camera for a while and decided I would have a walk along the shore in Portree and see what I could see. As I walked from my kitchen door along the path to the street it started a little of what we here call a “smir”, very light rain. By the time I got into the car it was full blown rain! The seemed to be a little bit of blue sky further north so I headed out on the road to Staffin.

After only a couple of miles there is a parking spot that all the tourist buses use but it looked good so I took the risk that people would think I was a tourist and stopped anyway. From this spot you can get an OK shot but if you go through the gate into the field and walk about 400m east you get a much better view over the top of Loch Fada and its little island with An Stòr in the background. Just remember to CLOSE THE GATE!

A couple of miles further and there is a parking area with a waterfall on the left. There has been quite a lot of rain over the last while and the run off from the hills mean that the river is flowing quite strong.

I had to go up the right hand side of the waterfall up to the top before I could get across the river because it was wide and running fast lower down. After coming a bit further down the left side I got this angle that I like a lot. If you want to try and get this shot a word to the wise - wear boots because it’s Wet, Wet, Wet :D

Over to Raasay

Despite living on Skye, neither Pat or myself had ever been across to the island of Raasay. Given that it is only a 10 minute ferry ride that is a bit naff. We decided to take a trip across yesterday and set off down to Sconser. The ferry wasn’t busy and off we went. Ten minutes later we were driving into Clachan on Raasay It was a really nice day and the views back across to Skye were great. We did the usual tourist things. Had something to eat in Raasay House Hotel (very nice) then went on a tour of the Raasay distillery. All in all we had a great day.

South of Shetland

We’ve now arrived on Shetland after a pretty rough crossing from Orkney into Lerwick. The ferry company were considering cancelling the sailing because of the weather but eventually we made it.

Today we headed for the south end, Sumburgh Head, to see the lighthouse and the settlement of Jarlsholf. It had been inhabited for about 3500 years until it was abandoned about 400 years ago. Stone age, iron age, Viking and medieval remains have been found at the site.

Jarlsholf

From there we headed to St Ninian’s Isle, joined to the mainland by a tombolo of white shell sand. Absolutely beautiful, only spoiled when I fell on my backside while dancing on the sand with Pat!

St Ninian’s Isle

Went to see the Old Man

We decided to go and visit the Old Man of Hoy but he was off to pick up a Tesco delivery :D

The Old Man is a sandstone sea stack, just off the east coast of the island of Hoy. It looked like the weather would be okay so we booked a ferry from the mainland of Orkney to Hoy. It’s only a short crossing but the only place available was at 8am so we got up a lot earlier than our usual. When we got there the weather had changed a bit. It was blowing a hoolie (very windy for those of you needing a translation) and starting to rain.

It is a 3 mile walk from the car park to the stack over some pretty rough ground but we got there eventually and it was worth the effort. We got back to the car, wet and tired. Pat ended up wrapped in my sleeping bag to try and get warm!

Old Man of Hoy, Orkney

A Wee Day Out on Orkney

Pat and I took a few days to go over to Orkney. To do some photos and generally have a good time. Today was a Neolithic day. First to the Ring of Brodgar to see this 5000 year old stone circle. It is way older than Stonehenge, around the same time as the Egyptian pyramids! The weather was superb, even though it was a bit cold and we succeeded in our plan of having a good time.

Pat at the Ring of Brodgar

Aurora Hunting

Pat and I use a really good app (https://aurora-alerts.uk/) by Andy Stables, from Glendale on the Isle of Skye, to give some warning about whether an aurora borealis is likely to show up. Last night after finishing dinner we had a look and it was showing Activity Level 4 which means that it is probably visible as long as the weather is OK.
We headed north from Portree on the Uig road and once we were away from the lights of the village there it was. Sometimes it only shows up in photos but this time it was visible to the naked eye. We started at Borve then headed over to Tote and got a few that I liked including this one. It was a bit cold but then what would you expect late on a spring night on Skye? :D

Rescue Mission

Wandering around the village yesterday I got a phone call from a friend whose car had broken down. She was stranded in Sleat, near Armadale at the south end of the Isle of Skye. We’re a few miles away but the sky was blue and as I didn’t have anything urgent to do I went to pick her up. I was rewarded with some lovely views on the east coast of the Sleat Peninsula including this near Isleornsay.

Duisdeil Mòr, Isle of Skye

Western Isles of Scotland

Earlier this month I went across to the Isle of Lewis off the west coast of Scotland. It’s one of the Outer Hebridean islands. It’s an absolutely superb place. You have to get the ferry over either from Ullapool on the west coast of the mainland or, as we did, from Uig on the Isle of Skye. The ferry was cancelled on the original day because of high winds but ran the following day although it didn’t feel like it was less windy to us! We stayed in a lovely little cottage at Siabost. There were beautiful beaches within a few minutes although with the strength of the wind it was sometimes difficult to stand up! It was close to the standing stones at Calanais which are more than 5000 years old. Older than Stonehenge and around the same time as the Egyptian pyramids.

I also saw the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, for the first time. They are absolutely jaw-dropping! Then the beach at Luskentyre on Harris, the Black House at Arnol, the lighthouse at Point of Ness and many other interesting places.

The ferry home was also cancelled because one of the engines failed and the ferry was stuck in Lochmaddy on the island of North Uist. That’s somewhere else that I really want to go to. We got home the following day after taking the other ferry to Ullapool and driving about 120 miles down the coast.

Calanais I

Northern Lights at Dalbeg, Isle of Harris

The good, the bad and the Ugly

I was travelling home yesterday heading up the side of Loch Lomond when I noticed the sign for the Falls of Falloch. I hadn’t been there for a while so I decided to stop and have a look. The car park was very busy but along with a nice lady that was directing things I got a parking place. This was the bad part, just the fact that there were so many people crammed into such a small spot.

The good was the waterfall itself. It seemed to have just the right amount of water to make for a great photo.

Falls of Falloch

Now the Ugly. My country is beautiful but some people seem to think that it is OK to dump their rubbish instead of taking it home. Maybe we should use the English football fan’s theme in Euro 2020 “It’s Coming Home”? Maybe I should be thankful that most of it is in bags?

Escape from Lockdown!

I drove down to Fife a few months ago and while I was there the Scottish government brought in the lockdown legislation which restricted transport amongst other things. My mother was unwell at the time so I stayed to take care of her. Now that she is feeling better and my sister is caring for her I am free to go home to Portree.

While I was driving home I went past Eilean Donan Castle. I’ve mentioned before that it is probably in the Guiness Book of Records as the most photographed castle in the world. Usually there is something that I don’t like as I drive past. Overrun with tourists, raining, grey, massive tour buses in the way… You name it, there is a problem. But not today. I got there as the sun was going down. The loch was still and the colours from the sunset put the mountains of the Black Cuillin on Skye into silhouette. Beautiful!

Out for a wee walk up Ben Tianavaig

The weather was looking so good this morning so I decided to have a walk up Ben Tianavaig. It’s a little hill on the headland just south of Portree on the Isle of Skye. In case you’ve never been Skye is my most favourite place. At the start it was a little bit of a pain. There is a technique of driving on the little single-track roads in the Scottish Highlands and the biggest requirement is courtesy. Some visitors to this island don’t know how that works.

After that it got very good. I ended up chatting for a while to one of the residents of Camustianavaig. The weather stayed sunny and warm with just the tiniest bit of wind to keep the midges away. The view in every direction was awesome and I got several photos that I liked a lot.

Eventually I got back and when I was taking my boots off I met the Camustianavaig guy again. He had been picking potatoes and before I left he asked if I would like some since he had picked more than him and his family could use. 2 hours later I have just finished diner and it was fantastic :D

The Sound of Raasay

Raasay from Ben Tianavaig

Night Sky at Laggan

I’m not usually into astrophotography (taking photos of the night sky) but….

I was driving from Portree on the Isle of Skye to Fife along the A889 from Laggan to Dalwhinnie when I stopped at the side of the road for a comfort break. I looked up at the sky and immediately went WOW! The stars were so clear and bright it was jaw dropping. I just had to get some photos. It is a tiny road in the middle of nowhere and there is virtually no light pollution. I didn’t know what camera settings to use so I was guesstimating most of the time. The one I liked best was taken at f4, shutter speed 20 seconds and ISO 4000. When I look closer I can see some movement in the stars and I think if I get another chance I’ll drop the shutter speed and raise the ISO setting to see if I can stop that.

The light at the bottom is probably the village of Newtonmore.

The Gallery

I’ve been lucky enough to get involved with running an art gallery in Portree on the Isle of Skye. It involves about half a dozen artists working in various media. We take it in turns to staff the gallery which can be fun, depending on how busy it is.

I’m hoping it takes off because I’d really like to spend more of my time on Skye.

Marsco and Blabheinn

I went for a wander today down to the village of Sligachan. From there I headed up Druim na Ruaige onto Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach, one of the smaller hills in the Red Cuillin on the Isle of Skye. It was a gorgeous day with blue skies and just a little wind to keep you cool. There was enough fluffy white cloud in the sky to give some interest and I got several shots of the hills of the Black Cuillin just across the glen.

Eilean Donan

Eilean Donan Castle must surely be the most photographed castle in the known universe. It sits on an island near the village of Dornie at the meeting of three sea lochs, Loch Duich, Loch Alsh and Loch Long, in the Kintail district in western Ross-shire Highlands of Scotland. Most times that I drive past it seems to be damp with grey skies and the photo opportunities are not there. Last week however I was driving up to Portree and everything just seemed to come together.

There were, as usual, several tourist buses so there were at least 100 people milling around taking photos on smart phones. I don’t mind this at all but one thing always seems to happen. A group of four or five tourists stand right in the middle of the place where I’m trying to take a photo. They all take a photo on their phone. Then instead of walking off and looking at their phones they stand in the same place for ages, continuously showing each other the photos they have taken, right in the middle of the shot. Why not take a little thought and move out of the way so other people can get the photo that they want.

Anyway, rant over for the day………

A birthday trip to Elgol

As a birthday treat Pat and I went down to the little village of Elgol on the Strathaird peninsula on the Isle of Skye. To get there you have to follow the tiny road south west from Broadford then round Loch Slapin and eventually you arrive in Elgol. We sat on the harbour wall and had a picnic, watching the way sun created shadows on the Black Cuillin mountains. It was superb.

The two main peaks of Sgurr Alasdair and Sgurr nan Gilean surround the beautiful Loch Coruisk. You can reach it by heading north along a path round the side of the bay but it isn’t for the nervous or inexperienced. I did it years ago but I’m not fit enough to be thinking of it now. The alternative is a boat trip from Elgol which I haven’t tried but is supposed to be great too.

Down the harbour in Portree

It’s January in Portree and it takes a bit of determination to drag my lazy ass out of the lovely warm bed and head down into the village with camera in hand. When I looked out of the bedroom window there was snow on the Cuillin and the sky was blue. I couldn’t lay in bed any more. It was a bit cold. There had been snow the day before and the temperature overnight had turn it all crisp under my feet.

I went down to the shore and tried a few shots looking toward the Cuillin but the sun was really bright and it was difficult to keep it out of shot. After that I walked round to the harbour and got a little more success. The sun wasn’t right in the lens this time and the colours were much better.