Local walk on the beach today

Walk from the red barn 29th

Loch bad an Scalaig

Semi-frozen waterfall

Superb walk from the red barn, in glorious sunshine & thick frost. Took the yellow path, then took in the black & blue routes. Much better than the main route & spectacular in the frost.

Walk near Dundonnell 28th

Grudie Bridge Walk 27th

The "biscuit tin" parked up at the bridge.

Boxing day

Good walk this morning along the beach & headland beyond, let Hamish free again & he had a great time exploring - he's mustard on the rocks! Came back whenever called until we hit the beach on the way back & he saw 2 beagles dashing along................20 minutes later, an exhausted Hamish was re-attached to his lead. Hmmmm
As it's such a good day we decide to get the mbikes out & go for a ride to Slatterdale. Both bikes start up ok & we're soon 10 miles down the road, parked up & walking to Victoria falls. The views across loch Maree (opposite side to yesterday) are amazing, but we didn't bring a camera, Duh.
Later, take Hamish for a run to the harbour & back. Then we're down to Strath for a meal with friends, lovely. What a pleasant xmas.

Xmas day pics

Coffee stop

Towards the Torridons

Happy Xmas folks.

Xmas day pics

Jimjams

The jetty at Ardlair

Approaching Beinn Airigh Char

xmas day pics

Loch Maree at NW end as it forms the river Ewe to flow out, into loch Ewe

Cloud patterns

A couple of young stags watch us pass by

Christmas Day

A beautiful, mild day - 8c mid morning, sun breaking through the cloud giving clear views of the mountains, which had just traces of snow near the tops.
Parked at Poolewe & set off alongside the river Ewe, past Inveran House where we saw Santa taking his dog for a walk. He must have given the reindeer the rest of the day off as he alighted from a 4X4!
After passing through the Letterewe estate gate -where the dogs went into the stream for a drink, we left the path taking a shortcut across the moorland, so avoiding Kernsarry farm, & found a good place for our picnic lunch (actually, it was our b'fast as we got up later than we planned) with a pleasant view.
Onward & back on the stalkers path we soon had good views of Loch Maree & the Torridons. We passed by several small groups of deer, who watched us without fear. Chatted to a couple with a lovely, curly coated retriever which Jamilla acknowledged aloofly & Hamish snarled and was generally, very rude to.
On as far as Ardlair House just above the loch shore, where we stopped again for a coffee on the jetty. No-one resident in the new (1979) house at present - apparently, the estate rent it out. The old house, as far as know, burnt down, will try to find out more for a future blog. We walked a little further then decided it was prudent to make our way back as the best of the daylight was over.
Home about 18-40 to feed the hungry dogs & chill with a couple of drinks & our tea -curry for Andy & fried rice for Margot. A few family phone calls, shower & off to bed with a bottle of wine & box of choccies c/o the Keverans, Thank you, scrummy & decadent!!! Watched the Royle Family, HoHoHo.
Merry xmas everyone.

Christmas eve.

4 dogs on the beach at Laide today, we dared to let Hamish off his lead & he was fine in the pack. It's been unseasonably mild today, dry & calm - no chance of a white Christmas. Most of the local shops are closed now until Monday, can't remember them ever being closed that long in England!
Pint & pizza night at the Millcroft again tonight, busy with locals & young ones home from unies.
Merry Christmas to all our blog readers.

Good run

Jamilla & Chilli after the same stick as usual.

Guess who got it!

Buzzard checking out the area above the beach.

We managed a 9 mile run yesterday afternoon from home, via Flowerdale, behind Kerrysdale House & along the track, almost to Loch Bad an Sgalag & back. Longest we've done for a while. Really enjoyed it & picked the right time to stay dry; it's a sheltered course too.

Busy, dog walking today but will endeavour to get another run in tomorrow.

Hamish

Hamish has come to stay for xmas.

This little guy likes to be on top of things!

Windy Sunday at Mellon Udrigle

The tide is actually going out but the wind is forcing the waves in - spectacular!

Beach at Mellon Udrigle with Beinn Ghobhlach in the far distance, beyond Carn Dearg in the middle distance. The northernmost tip of Gruinard (Anthrax) Island is just visible beyond the rocky point of the little bay in the foreground.

Relaxing at the Millcroft

Flowerdale walk

Flowerdale waterfall

A windblown buzzard

Jamilla & Chilli wrestling a stick

Calm moments

Looking to Poolewe from the Inverewe pinewood walk

Chilli ponders whether or not to take a dip! (She didn't)

A calm interval between the storms of Friday & Sunday. Sithean Mor reflected in the pond at Flowerdale.

In the bleak mid-winter.

Another wet & windy day up here, time for indoor pursuits. Thinking back to days gone by, when we wondered if we could hack it up here during the long, dark, winter days; decided to see just how different the days are to those in our old hometown of Southport. As we approach the winter solstice the difference is not really that much.
Today:- 17th Dec Southport Gairloch
Sunrise 08.23 08.58 difference 35mins
Sunset 15.52 15.32 " 20mins
total 55mins
So today, we have almost one hour less daylight than when we lived in Southport. However, as we're not working, we have all the time in the world to enjoy the daylight hours, as well as the dark ones. HoHoHo....................

All quiet on the western front

After a fairly, pleasant day it has turned to wet & cold. Been windy all day but there's something satisfying about seeing the washing on the line, stretched horizontally.
Last walk of the year with Birdie as she's off on her travels until March.
Both busy with outstanding jobs & trying to get things ship-shape for the festive season - not that much will be happening here, but we need to clear a space for the tree!
Chilli spent a day with us yesterday & we attempted some pics but the wind was gale force, so they're a bit blurred. Tide was way out and we managed to get onto the rocks which are usually out of reach - great rockpools - saw huge seasnails. On Saturday, Geraldine saw a small octopus there, stranded on the seaweed. Someone put it back into the sea but it made it's way out again. One of the locals reckoned it had gorged itself on crabs & was what we would describe as "stuffed". Apparently, the crabs shed their shells at this time and are a "soft" target for predators. You live & learn.

From Sron na Carra

The Western Isles in the distance beyond Skye's Trotternish Peninsula

Similar view a little later.

Pleasant walks today at both Laide & Opinan. Much less cold than it has been, but still offering good views of the distant mountains & islands. Inland & north there is still much snow on the hills, but to the west, Skye was mostly shrouded in cloud & out of view. The Western Isles (Outer Hebrides) were easier to see than usual & appeared to be enjoying the best of the weather. Still out walking at 16-10 & able to see where we were putting our feet.

Forecast for the week ahead is reasonable here, mainly dry but with a bit more wind than of late and temperatures ranging from 3c to 9c. We shall see!

From Laide

Beinne Ghobhlach

Sail Mhor & An Teallach

Laide seashore

Looking north to Coigach

Rock on stone

Some pics

Penny

Looking north from Laide jetty.

Max & Nibbs.

Wednesday sunset

Wednesday's sunset

View across the loch towards Port Henderson with Skye in the background.

Same time looking inland, to the Torridons.

Views from Laide jetty

An Teallach (an chalakh)

Holiday cottage on the shore at Laide

The Summer isles in the distance.