My journey north to St Kilda started at 17:30 after work last Friday. It was a slow drive due to the number of caravans and motor homes heading north. These vehicles carry such evocative names as GT, Cheetah, Concorde (Mach 2 model), Monza, Le Mans etc. However, the road quietened after Fort William and by 21:30 I was watching the sun set behind Eilean Donan Castle.
I spent the night at Gordon
Tampilkan postingan dengan label castles. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label castles. Tampilkan semua postingan
The "castles" of Loch Ranza.
We paddled into Loch Ranza on the NW tip of Arran. The ferry from Claonaig Kintyre, the MV Loch Tarbert was just arriving at the village of Lochranza.
We paddled into the loch, captivated by the sight...
...of the jagged rocky ridges of Caisteal Abhail (859m), "the castle of the fork".
Down at sea level, the grim walls of Lochranza Castle...
...were topped by the jagged outlines of long
We paddled into the loch, captivated by the sight...
...of the jagged rocky ridges of Caisteal Abhail (859m), "the castle of the fork".
Down at sea level, the grim walls of Lochranza Castle...
...were topped by the jagged outlines of long
The Mull of Logan
In the middle of a sunny spell in April, the day dawned grey and drizzly at Portpatrick in SW Scotland. Tony and I met Jim (fresh from Skye) and Mark and Heather Rainsley who were visiting the area. Mark was keen to get some photos of Scottish coastal fortifications and Dunskey Castle fitted the bill!
We were headed south with the flood tide for the Mull of Logan, some 16km to the south. There
We were headed south with the flood tide for the Mull of Logan, some 16km to the south. There
A little rusty on Ailsa Craig.
From the shore of Ailsa Craig, we made our way up past the now solar powered (2001) and automated (1990) lighthouse.
The lighthouse was completed in 1886 by Thomas and David Stevenson. It originally had 3 keepers and was an oil burning light. A little railway was used to haul cans of oil up from the jetty. Unfortunately the bogey was now overturned and rusting away. The railway was also used by
The lighthouse was completed in 1886 by Thomas and David Stevenson. It originally had 3 keepers and was an oil burning light. A little railway was used to haul cans of oil up from the jetty. Unfortunately the bogey was now overturned and rusting away. The railway was also used by
Home to roost in Garlieston.
We had enjoyed our sojourn in the Isle Whithorn so much that, by the time we left, the whitewashed houses had a pink glow from a sun that was already sinking in the west.
On leaving the harbour we turned our backs to the sun and turned east...
...into the broad expanse of Wigtown Bay.
We made for Cruggleton Point...
...which is topped by the remains of Cruggleton Castle.
By now the sun was
On leaving the harbour we turned our backs to the sun and turned east...
...into the broad expanse of Wigtown Bay.
We made for Cruggleton Point...
...which is topped by the remains of Cruggleton Castle.
By now the sun was
Better days in the Sound of Kerrera
This was the view from the sea front at Oban. In the near distance the island of Kerrera shelters Oban from the open waters of the Firth of Lorn. In the distance, the mountains of Mull were topped by a snow covered Ben More, at 966m, the highest mountain in the Inner Hebrides.
A front was rapidly crossing the sky from the SE...
...as we crossed Oban Bay to Kerrera.
Ahead a monument to David
A front was rapidly crossing the sky from the SE...
...as we crossed Oban Bay to Kerrera.
Ahead a monument to David
Toberonochy, what's the story?
As the glassy calm waters of the Sound of Shuna slipped astern, we came across some scattered houses on the Luing shore.
We had come across the little village of Toberonochy which nestles round a small harbour.
Crystal Waters, a former Banff registered trawler (BF 209), was leaning against the harbour wall. She was decommissioned under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme
We had come across the little village of Toberonochy which nestles round a small harbour.
Crystal Waters, a former Banff registered trawler (BF 209), was leaning against the harbour wall. She was decommissioned under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme
Three jewels of Loch Sunart: Oronsay, Loch Teacuis and a buried diamond!
A little breeze soon cleared the mist from Loch Drumbuie as we headed off on the third and final day of our circumnavigation of Morvern.
We left Loch Drumbuie by its west entrance as it was still low water and the shallow eastern entrance was still dry.
We were now on a mini circumnavigation of the tidal island Oronsay which divides Loch Drumbuie from Loch Sunart. There are several Oronsays
We left Loch Drumbuie by its west entrance as it was still low water and the shallow eastern entrance was still dry.
We were now on a mini circumnavigation of the tidal island Oronsay which divides Loch Drumbuie from Loch Sunart. There are several Oronsays
A series of juxtapositions in the Sound of Mull.
North of Lochaline, the coastline of Morvern becomes much gentler and is backed by large forestry plantations. It was to here the the last few St Kildans were evacuated in 1930. Those that were able worked in the forests. what a juxtaposition a St Kildan in a forest in Morvern! They had come from an island with no trees!
We found Fiunary boathouse in a little inlet beside Rhubha na h-Airde
We found Fiunary boathouse in a little inlet beside Rhubha na h-Airde
Taking the Sound of Mull to the Next World.
The second day of our Morvern trip dawned still and calm but the peace of early morning (and our slumbers) was shattered...
...by the MV Clansman. She is the noisiest of the Calmac ferries at the best of times, as she burns the heaviest grade of fuel oil in her diesels. However, her crankshafts were just about to fail catastrophically and so the decibels this morning were deafening.
...by the MV Clansman. She is the noisiest of the Calmac ferries at the best of times, as she burns the heaviest grade of fuel oil in her diesels. However, her crankshafts were just about to fail catastrophically and so the decibels this morning were deafening.
Between a rock and a hard place at Glensanda.
All too soon we had to leave the oasis of Kingairloch...
...and continue our exploration of the Morvern coast.
We passed huge beaches of perfectly graded shingle.
After some time, we became aware of a curious noise, a bit like waves sucking shingle down a beach, but more sustained and more artificial.
We had found the Glensanda super quarry, the biggest in Europe. The noise we had heard was
...and continue our exploration of the Morvern coast.
We passed huge beaches of perfectly graded shingle.
After some time, we became aware of a curious noise, a bit like waves sucking shingle down a beach, but more sustained and more artificial.
We had found the Glensanda super quarry, the biggest in Europe. The noise we had heard was
The quest for a haddock of gargantuan proportions.
Entering Kirkcudbright (kir-coo-bri) Bay, the landscape changed dramatically, the cliffs gave way to gentle wooded shores.
We stopped for a break at a little beach with a view to the far side of the bay and the distant Lake District hills in England beyond.
We now had a stiff paddle against an increasing ebb tide.
As we approached the town we came across a long marina pontoon. The tide was
We stopped for a break at a little beach with a view to the far side of the bay and the distant Lake District hills in England beyond.
We now had a stiff paddle against an increasing ebb tide.
As we approached the town we came across a long marina pontoon. The tide was
Clyde built: tough ships, tough people.
From Dumbarton we set off on the final leg of our Clyde paddle to Port Glasgow in a snow storm. At times the snow was falling so heavily that there was near zero visibility and we lost sight of the channel markers, even though they were only 600m apart. We were rather anxious not to be run over by a ship in the night, so we navigated by keeping to the north of the channel markers, then crossed
Bowling down the Clyde in the Comet's wake.
From Erskine we crossed to the north bank of the Clyde yet again. In the mid distance, Dumbarton Rock stood out darkly against the snowy mountains of Argyll beyond.
We were bound for Bowling at the entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal. The canal opened in 1790. We had to keep a high ferry angle as the ebb tide was fair bowling us along.
There are two sea lock gates but this one is no longer
We were bound for Bowling at the entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal. The canal opened in 1790. We had to keep a high ferry angle as the ebb tide was fair bowling us along.
There are two sea lock gates but this one is no longer
A new dawn on a favourite paddle.
On Sunday we went for one of our favourite local paddles. We met in darkness at Ardrossan ferry terminal where we left shuttle cars. We then drove north to Portencross as the sun was coming up.
It was low water at Portencross, where we met the Castle Craig Kayaking Club who were planning a similar trip. At low tide this is one of the most awkward launches on the Ayrshire coast. An alternative
It was low water at Portencross, where we met the Castle Craig Kayaking Club who were planning a similar trip. At low tide this is one of the most awkward launches on the Ayrshire coast. An alternative
Sundown at Culzean
South of Dunure, Turnberry lighthouse appeared on the horizon.
We took a third luncheon (not liquid this time) at the north end of Culzean (pron. Cullane) Bay.
By the time we got going again the sun had begun to set.
The Culzean coast line was in deep shade...
...and as we paddled under sandstone cliffs, the great castle of Culzean appeared on the skyline.
This was to be our third and last
We took a third luncheon (not liquid this time) at the north end of Culzean (pron. Cullane) Bay.
By the time we got going again the sun had begun to set.
The Culzean coast line was in deep shade...
...and as we paddled under sandstone cliffs, the great castle of Culzean appeared on the skyline.
This was to be our third and last
Ice cold in Dunure
After leaving the Heads of Ayr, the coastline swings round to the SW and we caught our first glimpse of Ailsa Craig.
We then came to Dunure, our second castle of the day, which like the first, was perched right on the edge of a cliff.
We landed within the little harbour below the castle.
In the summer it is full of recreational boats but these two swans had it pretty much to themselves. The
We then came to Dunure, our second castle of the day, which like the first, was perched right on the edge of a cliff.
We landed within the little harbour below the castle.
In the summer it is full of recreational boats but these two swans had it pretty much to themselves. The
Jetting off for some winter sun on Costa Clyde
From the mouth of the Doon we paddled under the grim walls of Greenan Castle, which is perched right on the edge of the cliff. Castles are one of the great features of paddling in Scotland. They are a reminder that what are now apparently remote places were once lived in (and fought over) by our ancestors.
We bumped into Richard, from Ayr, who was trying out his shiny new Rockpool GT. I
We bumped into Richard, from Ayr, who was trying out his shiny new Rockpool GT. I
"Did you see those three madmen at Seafield?".
After the recent snows, the Ayrshire coast was one of the few places in Scotland not to be under a blanket of snow. Even the Arran mountains seemed to have escaped with a light dusting. However, a chill northerly breeze kept the temperature down to minus two Celsius.
Phil, Jim and I had left shuttle cars at Maidens and then driven back to Seafield at Ayr for a trip past three of the four castles
Phil, Jim and I had left shuttle cars at Maidens and then driven back to Seafield at Ayr for a trip past three of the four castles
Mad dogs and seakayakers smitten by the cold in the Tan.
Rounding Gull point at the south of Little Cumbrae island we now faced a 10km paddle into a cold NE breeze. The big chill had begun!
We sought some shelter by taking the inside passage between Little Cumbrae and Castle Island.
I wonder if a committee chose the name of this little and if so how many times they met?
Tony said hello to the caretaker's friendly but barking mad little dogs...
...
We sought some shelter by taking the inside passage between Little Cumbrae and Castle Island.
I wonder if a committee chose the name of this little and if so how many times they met?
Tony said hello to the caretaker's friendly but barking mad little dogs...
...
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