Redpoint to Diabaig

The old YHA at Craig, now serves as a bothy, about 2/3 of the way to Diabaig

 Andy joined other school staff today, to monitor the first leg of the "D of E silver" expedition. He drove them all out to Redpoint where the participants set off, with the monitors following at a discreet distance. This is the first beach south of Redpoint, where the old fishing station remnants are to be seen. A few poles, from which they used to hang the nets to dry out.

 Not the best of days but they're all still smiling. Should be safe with a couple of ex-SARDA dogs along.

 First glimpse of Upper Loch Torridon,

 The road down into Diabaig, the village which featured in the 1996, Ted Danson film "Loch Ness". We stayed there in 1998, in the house which had been depicted as the garage in the film.

You can just glimpse the houses on the shorefront in the centtre of the pic. This is where Andy headed back the 8, coastal miles to pick up the minibus from Redpoint. The "D of E'ers" will continue on to Inveralligan where they'll set up camp for the night. Fortunately, the weather isn't too bad for them - the midges might be though!

Poolewe cycle ride

 Beinn Airigh Char rising in front of us

 Looking down the Inveran river towards it's outflow into loch Maree

 Across loch Kernsary - loch Maree is between the trees and the hill.

Looking down to Kernsary farm.

Beauly weekend

 Looking out across the Beauly Firth to the Kessock Bridge and beyond

 Loch nam Bonnach above Beauly

Looking down on the village and the river Beauly, curving it's way to the firth.

Sunday Kayak trip

We has a lovely kayak trip last Sunday and were surrounded by several dolphins, just outside the harbour, so this Sunday we decided to do another trip and take the camera.

The weather was quite grey with rain to start with, the tide was in so we could go under the bridge and into the river.

There was a large ship in at the pier. Margot goes to investigate it.

It was a cruise ship called Lord of the Isles and is a regular visitor in the summer season, we has a look round the outside and checked out the lower deck cabin through the small portholes.

Then it was a trip over to Sheildaig bay and round the two islands, we saw some dolphin activity and lots of heron's and a sole seal.

The trip home was a bit rougher and we had to paddle hard and ride the waves. Once back in the harbour it got calm again. Soon we were back home having a coffee

More Orkney

Before we boarded the ferry back to the mainland we stopped at the Italian Chapel. It was an old Nissan hut in the second world war which a group of Italian prisoners made into a chapel. It was restored several years ago and was very impressive, the bricks looked really but was an optical illusion and just very clever painting.

This was the outside of the chapel.  After a night in a B&B we headed home along the top coastal road and visited Smoo cave (below)

Orkney Day

Our ferry left JOG at 10.30am, not too early and we had a view of the JOG hotel as we made our way into the Pentland Firth, very strange colour scheme and it looked shut up.

We boarded a coach for the day trip and were soon passing Scapa Flow before an hours stop in Kirkwall nice narrow windy streets full of character and St Magnus Cathedral above.

Our second stop was Skara Brae the ancient village before another stop at the Ring of Brodgar

Trip up North

Last Wed we headed up north to John O'groats for a day trip to the Orkneys

Our first stop was Lybster to see the little well sheltered harbour.

Then it was a stop at the Whaligoe Steps, 365 originally (we counted 330 as some of the steps were now a grassy slope). At the bottom of the steps was an old harbour.

After the steps we carried onto John O'Groats  (JOG) and walked out to Duncansby Head to see the lighthouse and the sea stacks