Border Reivers of Bunchrew

Off in the van for a long weekend in the Scottish Borders.  First stop Coldingham. Got there eventually after some of Jan's interesting route variations.  Recovered with a Hobgoblin and malt.  Sadly the malt was a Lidl special :(

Saturday: VERY fuzzy heads!  Recovered somewhat with a cliff top stroll around St Abbs Head nature reserve - a very splendid place.  St Abbs vilage has a nice bronze recalling the East coast fishing tragedy of 1881 when 189 fishermen were drowned.

Then through open border country for a brew beside the Tweed in Kelso where an enormous salmon obligingly leapt right in front of me.

On to a lovely caravan club CL near Melrose. A prosperous sheep farm run by lovely folk. We parked beside the field of triplet lambs.
Jan isn't at all keen on the noise of me attempting to tune my banjo in the van so that's the end of that!

Sunday: long walk in the sun. Set off from St Boswells along the Tweedside St Cuthbert's way.  Over the river at Dryburgh abbey, quick glance at temple of muses and James Thomson's fabulous poem "Spring".
Up to the imposing statue of William Wallace then along quiet lanes to Bermesyde Moss nature reserve. Not many birds about. Nice spot though.
Back to the van with aches and pains after a 10 mile hike.
Fish and chips and a pint in Biggar then on to our base for the next 2 nights - a farm in Rigside.

Monday:  Excellent walk around Douglas. Loads of Covenanter history.  Pub lunch in the weary but pleasant Douglas Arms Inn. Then a nice hilly ride on my lovely new bike to burn off those lunchtime calories.
 
Tuesday :  Work calls. A PPM workshop for the folk of Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership then home via our favourite greasy spoon in Ballinluig.

A fine weekend.  Some photos:

Beer and Bikes - Black Isle to Glenlivet

Rickshaw Ramblers on parade, Carn Daimh

I need a rest that was a tough sporting weekend!

Friday I joined our best ever turnout at a Rickshaw Ramblers ageing ATOs hill walk on Glenlivet estate.  It was Dick Stacey's farewell walk as he's heading back south - lots of nice malt at the lunch stop.

Business end of new bike

Saturday I finally managed to christen my splendid new bike - started badly with a 100psi rear blowout!  But then had a lovely ride over Reelig Glen for lunch in Beauly Corner Cafe.  The bike is great!

Then Jan and I headed back to the Black Isle for another night at lovely Udale bay.  Lots of waders about.

Sunday we walked around the hills above Fortrose.  Lovely clear views across sea and mountain.  Home via the Castle Tavern where the food was poor but the ale was good.

Udale bay, Cromarty Firth - daybreak

Monday I organised a ride for some CTC friends.  A tough 55 mile circuit of the Dunain, Spey and Avon valleys.  Brilliant pie and chips in the Craig Bar in Grantown.

Whisky galore!  CTC ride, Glenlivet

Crikey I'm tired!  Must have burnt some serious calories this time!

Back to the Black Isle

Banjo class to start the weekend.  Not easy but some progress I think (teacher may disagree though).   A snifter in The Clach on the way home.


Waited in all day on Friday for my new bike to arrive - but it didn't.  Drat!  Logistic glitch.  Practised picking, watched "The Way Back", got grumpy.  Then cheered up by the news that Lizzie has the job she wanted as a Thomas Cook entertainer. Watch out holiday makers.  Your lives will never be the same again!

Daybreak at Udale Bay

Saturday:  A hilly ride over the Aird to lunch in Beauly then watched the rugby - good game England, well done Wales. 
Then off in the van to Udale Bay on the Black Isle.  
A fine overnight spot beside waders, geese and oil rigs. 
McEwans Champion in one hand, Old Poultney malt in the other, Eric Clapton on the blaster, M & S beef pie in the oven. What's not to like!

Jemimaville post office

Sunday:  A nice daybreak across Cromarty Firth.  Then a fine stroll around Jemimaville followed by a sumptuous lunch in The Clach.
Back home with the papers to watch the rugby.


Monday:   Another "Old Nackers" bike ride.  Nobby and I battled a fierce headwind from Inverness out to Brin in Strathfarr. We cut our losses there and turned downwind for lunch in Daviot Dairy rather than tackling 15 more miles upwind to Foyers.
Rewarded our efforts with some splendid Cromarty Brewery stout in The Castle Tavern once back in Inverness.

A Highland Weekend - More Bikes than Banjos

Fine start to the long weekend. Pedaled home from work in the sun, a pint in The Clach, watched "Frost and Nixon".

Friday: Fettled bikes and van, plucked the banjo, pedalled around the firth (lunch at the corner cafe). Then took cousin Henry from the airport to Glenmore lodge where he's doing a winter skills course. Parked up in lovely spot above Rothiemurchus forest. Pink Martini on the DVD, merlot in the glass, the latest Tom Clancy book to read. Nice.

Saturday: Lots of snow threatened so we scurried home to avoid getting stuck.  A nice lazy day of TV (athletics and cycling) plus a bit of banjo practice.  Fingers crossed for a nice day tomorrow - for my CTC bike ride.

Sunday:  Light snow overnight so most of my riders cried off the club ride. Just Nobby , Steve and I tootled around the Aird. Slightly scary but manageable with care. Not everyone's cuppa I acknowledge. Splendid lunch at crofter Jason's then back to Beauly.

Steve and Nobby, Beaufort castle

Monday:  The scales indicate that my diet is a reverse one :(  Sent myself out on another bike ride to burn some calories off - ate rather a lot on the way round though.  Called in at the very interesting drovers' museum in Dingwall.

Drover memorial

Three days out of 4 cycling - result!

A Weekend of Fun - From Banjos to Bikes

Started my weekend with my first banjo class - great fun, even as the dunce in the corner.  A tad of progress I feel.  Rolls and chords galore.

Friday I rode my gleaming Pinarello around Reelig Glen for lunch in Beauly Corner cafe - very nice.

On Saturday Jan and Lizzie went to yoga after which Jan and I set off in the van.  A nice beach and forest walk in Nairn then we parked up for a frosty night at Lochindorb.

Daybreak at Lochindorb

A glorious sunrise across the loch - then off to Ardersier for an orienteering event.  I tackled the blue course, made lots of silly errors, and finished last but 1 :(  Good training for Nairnshire Challenge though.

Monday I'm meeting a few cycling friends for a ride around Brodie, Darnaway and Cawdor castles - hopefully ending with a pint in the Bandstand bar in Nairn

Back Home to Inverness - An Active Weekend

Cycling beside Loch Ness

We all said our final farewells to Mum after the funeral and then traveled home.

Lizzie came with Jan and I while Kat flew up - to be joined by cousin Henry on Friday.

Lizzie headed straight off to collect her stuff while we had an outdoor weekend.

We cycled around Beauly Firth on Friday and then indulged in the tasters menu in The Clach on Friday.  It was superb!

A local walk on Saturday.

Orienteering in Darnaway forest plus roast Lunch in Brodie on Sunday before packing our visitors back off home to London.

A day to myself on Monday.  An excellent bike ride in South Loch Ness with pit stops in Foyers cafe and the Castle Tavern.  Got home happily weary just as Lizzie returned from her long trip.

Back to work tomorrow :(

Super Strathspey

A Crackberry addict at work - Nethybridge stroll

A sunny weekend. Started well with a fine Friday.  Banjo practice then a lovely ride around the firth on the Pinarello with a haggis lunch in Beauly Corner Café.  Watched the last of series 1 of the superb "Between the Lines".

Saturday:  Off in the van to Strathspey for the weekend.  First up a stroll in Rothiemurchus forest - lovely in the sun. Called at friends for a brew and then parked up at a great new spot high above the forest.

Sunday:  Excellent stroll around Nethy Bridge and a brew with the Philpotts.  Then home via The Clach - we didn't quite make our month on the wagon. Quite a good effort though :(

Nigg Peninsular

Started the weekend well with a 40 mile ride to Steve and Anna's for lunch. Completed 7 days on the wagon, and strummed my first banjo tune (rather badly).

Nigg Hill.  Overlooking Cromarty

Saturday. Fettled the van and set off to Nigg peninsula. A windswept. 9 mile walk around Nigg hill was a tad tiring. Great flying display by a peregrine falcon.  Overnighted at a fine spot by Nigg beach.

iPad, wife, dog - bliss!

Sunday.  Good turnout for a CTC ride from Fearn to Rockfield where we had excellent snacks provided by Steve and Denise Carrol.

CTC ride - Fearn to Rockfield

Festivities in the Deep South

We're spending the Xmas break visiting friends and family. First stop is Perth to see Bernie and Maureen Brace. Overnighted at a quirky little CL in Almondbank.   Dined in the excellent Glover Arms. 

Fettled the van then on down to Moffat for a stroll on the Southern Uplands way.
  

Nanny Heath @ 89

The walk was excellent. Rewarded ourselves with some Lanark blue cheese and fine port. Overnighted at Annadale Water.

Xmas eve.  Down to Lowther park for a fine walk.  Then on to Todmorden. Excellent evening with SBJ and Ken. Overnighted on their drive.

Xmas day:  Up and away first thing.  Down to Knutsford for a stroll in Tatton Park. That was closed today so made do with a stroll in the old town. Then on to a nice country park near Holme Chapel. 

An unusual spot for our Xmas dinner - M6 services. Very peaceful.

Boxing Day:  to Northampton. Met up with daughter Lizzie - first time for a year.   Lots to hear about her year in Australia.  Then on to Syresham for a great evening with our friends Rodge and Charlotte Inwood.

Tuesday:   Nice bike ride with Lizzie then took Mum home. We're staying with her for a few days.

Friday:  to London by train for a lovely day out with Kat including brunch with Rick and terry Noutch

A quiet New year with Mum before returning to Inverness.

Returned to many mini toys - banjo tuner, iPad holder, Tom Wolfe books, and excellent DVDs from Love Film: The Deer Hunter and Between The Lines. Now to play!

Black Cocks are Back in Action - Gran Canaria

Do we really have to pedal up that!

A boys' outing to Gran Canaria.  Lew and I were joined by Oregonian pals Steve and Roger.  Remarkably we all managed to get to the right place on the right day - a cheapo apartment in Masopalomas. A fine base for a week's sunny cycling.  The other cyclists all looked worryingly thin and fit!
It had been tricky booking the trip with folk arriving from 3 directions. My shuttle booking from the airport went awry but the nice senora sorted it out. Phew!

Sunday:  A short but steep ride up into the mountains. A rather surreal beer stop at a camel park and a splendid lunch stop in Fataga.  Downhill and tail wind all the way back.

Monday:  We rode up a quiet barranco (de Arquinegine) and then had a tough steep 3000' climb over the saddle. Got passed by many fitter cyclists.  Then a swooping hairpin descent for lunch in Mogan.  Back along the busy coastal road.

Tuesday: A hike around the dunes led to some moans and groans from the team due to blisters. A lazy day fixing bikes followed. Splendid grub prepared by Steve to end a lazy day.

Wednesday:  Another tough climb. 930 metres up to San Bartoleme.  Fine paella to reward our efforts.

Thursday:  Only 680m today.  More rocky scenery. Bit too barren here for my taste - but December sun and 75 degrees is nice.

Friday: An easy ride up the valley to La Filpina. Nice and hot at nearly 80F.  Needs a lot of cold beer to keep the balance.  Canarian stew for the boys today.



Saturday - a long trek home to cold Inverness.  Another fine trip.

Sutherland Once More

Not a great start to this blog week. Broke a big tooth which needed a hefty removal. Then a slip back to a melancholy phase. Drat!

Off in the van to perk up all round.

A promising sign of better times was 2 otters right below us in Golspie harbour - just 3 or 4 feet away. Then parked up at our absolute favorite spot beside Loch Fleet.

Friday:  Two walks around Littlefleet and Golspie with big reading sessions in between. I completed Gerald Seymour's latest novel "Deniable Death". Quite good.

Saturday: Parked up in Brora harbour to find a pine martin right in front of us. Amazing that we've seen both otters and pine martins in the middle of towns this weekend.

Sunday:  CTC ride up Strathbrora.  Only 2 of us turned out.  I took a short cut from Lairg so just 48 miles for me.

A Strange Mix, Lanark and Blair Atholl Horse Trials

Down to Lanark on Thursday. Fine pint in the excellent "Horse and Jockey" then supper of chips and curry sauce from the chippy.

Friday: Nice half day teaching project management to rural development folk. Lovely projects: steam trains, plant nursery, footpaths, historic archives. Then drove up to Dunkeld to get ready for Jan's birthday bash tomorrow.

Saturday: To Blair Atholl castle for the International horse trials. Soft ground - needed a tow to get in. Good to see the XC riders. Too many folk about for me though.
Excellent bluegrass band "Hotseat" in Birnam for our evening entertainment. They're from Richmond, Virginia.

Katherine Hague - Jan got to babysit for her briefly

Sunday: A hill walk above Bruar was planned, but idleness got the better of us and we read before tootling slowly home for a belated birthday supper in The Clach

Lovely Loch Duntelchaig

Nice day on Friday. A ride over the Aird on the Pinarello for lunch in Beauly, then a ride on the Brompton into town for a beer with friends - where we met 2 ex-AAC chopper pilots who'd just pedalled lejog. Supper in The Clach.
Finished the day watching wine geekery "Sideways" as recommended by Steve.



Saturday: Strolled with slightly fuzzy heads to recover the car. Then off in the van to South Loch Ness to check out the new trail of that name. Parked up for the night looking down Loch Duntelchaig. Fine supper from Mrs H.

Sunday: A stroll up Tom Bailgeann, cuppa in Brin nursery, then a nice pedal home on the Brompton through Essich. Sunshine, scenery and a tail wind. The ideal bike ride.

On The Oregon Trail - Second week

Golden Eagle, Paisley

Monday: Drove through the high desert of Central Oregon across to Eastern Oregon. Looked at the huge gold dredger in Sumpner and at the excellent Oregon Trail centre outside Baker City.

Tuesday: Out on the road nice and early. Breakfast in back country Elgin. Slowest service in the US - and crap food too. Nice drive up the Wallowa river valley to Joseph. A twee, arty little town surrounded by high mountains and alpine meadows. Watched the wild horses being driven by the cowboys down Main Street. Then up the cable car onto Mount Howard. Wonderland of alpine flowers, chipmunks, gophers, and the quirky Clarke's Nut Cracker bird. Stunning.
Then to our superb B & B, a lovely old manor house in Joseph. Good choice! Dinner at the town brew pub.

The ZX barn

Wednesday: Mountain road drive out to dramatic Hell's Canyon Overlook - deepest canyon in the US. Then on to Burns. Long drive through a mix of high desert, mountains and ranch land.

Thursday: Up and out early to the excellent Malheur National Wildlife Reserve. Wall to wall birds. Very nice. Then a drive across the really empty high desert of the Northern basin. 119 miles of almost no sign of man - bends in the road were exciting! Impressed to see an old guy pedalling across - and hauling his camping kit.
Albert rim and lake very interesting - geology and birds (saw my first phalaropes). Lunch in a full on cowboy saloon - the Pioneer in Paisley.
Arrived safely at the ZX ranch - a million acres and 10,000 cattle! That's big.
Mark and Debby's ranchhouse is big - but we were invited to stay in the huge restored barn way up on the hillside - what a place! We had it all to ourselves.

Friday: Got up early to watch the sunrise behind the mountains. Then down to the ranchhouse for breakfast with our hosts before a day out on the range watching Mark's team do their working cowboy stuff - a tough way of life they're working hard to preserve.
Got some great pictures of a Golden Eagle sat on a pole digesting breakfast.
Lunch in the cowboys' cookhouse then Mark gave us a tour of part of his huge range. 10,000 bales of hay laid out on the marsh for winter feed. Big ranch!
Grand finale to the trip with a swim in the barn pool then a great BBQ with our friends and hosts - a tad too much Bourbon though methinks!

Buccaroe bronze, Joseph

Saturday: Up and away. Sad farewells to Steve and Sonya who've been great hosts and planners, then a long drive back to Portland. We've returned the car and arrived at the grand "Heathman Hotel" in Downtown Portland. Now for a riverside stroll (pausing at the Oregon Brewers' Festival!) before dinner in the swanky Heathman restaurant.

On The Oregon Trail (Revisited)

I love Oregon - but it's a pain getting there. Two long flights but we're here now. Steve and Sonya met us at the airport and whisked us off to the McMenamin's historic hotel in Troutdale by the mighty Columbia River. A few fine pints of the hotel's own IPA and stout soon eased the travel weariness.

Soda Creek, Century Drive, Bend

Monday: Nice lazy start then into Downtown Portland. Bought a splendid new Panama hat and celebrated that with a visit to the magnificent "Lucky Lab" brew pub. Happy memories of my first ever Oregon trip in 2002.
Back to Steve and Sonya's place, our base for a few days. Pedalled out to the excellent new brewery pub a mere 6 miles from the ranch.
 
Tuesday: Fifty mile ride for the boys through the Willamette valley. Tough 7 mile climb up to Silver Falls park at the end. Chips and IPA to power us up the hill, cycling classic dish of chile dog in Silver town afterwards.

Wednesday: Nice 40 mile ride through the lanes in the morning. Met the girls for lunch. Forest trail stroll after lunch. Joined Steve's wine tasting group in the evening in Albany then a lovely supper at Karen and Bish's place.

Thursday: Off to the seaside in search of whales. Bump started the day with a belly busting all American breakfast in Tommy's, Corvallis.

Sonya, Sue, Jan and Martha - Redmond @ Sue's

Excellent 2 hour whale watching trip from Newport. Saw several grey whales within 100 yards. Then on to Yaquina Head nature reserve. Home to 60,000 common murree auks.

Friday: A brisk blast around Steve's favourite bike route to blow out those IPA cobwebs - then off to Portland to collect our hire car for next week's Eastern Oregon trip. No Mustang available but we have a neat little Mitsubishi Stryker Eclipse convertible.
Pedalled down to the Rogue brewpub before a fine tuna and oyster BBQ at Steve and Sonya's.

Saturday: Beautiful scorching hot day for our drive east over the stunning Cascades into Central Oregon. Met up with Bruce, Martha, Dave and Sue for a BBQ at Bruce's before a great Pink Martini open air concert in lovely Bend City on the Deschutes river.

Sunday: A great drive out with the Redmond gang around Century Drive around Mount Batchelor. Bags of wildlife at our picnic spot beside Crane Prairy lake. Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Dragonflies, water snakes (yughh!).
Top spot on the trip was Soda Creek beside Sparks Lake. Superb.
Dinner out in downtown Bend and a nightcap in Bend brewery.

Monday:  A scenic drive with the roof down through Central and Eastern Oregon to Baker City.  Great landscapes.  Fine brew pub to finish the day.

Some pictures so far:

Hebridean Bike Adventure

Left Bunchrew on Friday morning heading for Fort William.  Nice weather to start. Just a smigeon of a headwind to elevens' in Foyers.  Then up and over a 1200' climb to reach Fort Augustus for lunch beside the canal. That's half way.  Along the canal tow path for a few miles, short bit of road, then undulating forest track beside Loch Lochy.  Reached Fort William after 70 miles and 6:07 hours in the saddle. Pleasantly weary. Quick shower then fish and chips followed 2 nice pints - Suilven and Dark Isle.
A fine first day.

Saturday: Lovely bright day.  Full fry up to power us on our way.  Lovely loch side route. The newly built "Caledonian Way" Sustrans route is outstanding. Traffic free from Ballachulish.
Lunch in The Oyster Inn in Connell, then a look around Castle Dunstaffnage, then to Oban. Easier day today - 50 miles, 4 hours.
Quiet night by the quay.

Sunday: Hilly ride out over Atlantic Bridge to Seil Isle. Lunch at the Oyster brewery - very fine ale. Forty miles, 3.5 hrs.
Then onto the ferry to South Uist - with a bag of Tesco goodies for a nautical picnic.

Monday: Yippee - a tail wind! Cycled up the Uists in lovely weather. Lots of flowers and birds on the machair.  Elevenses with SNH pal Gwen in the Uist office. Magnificent overnight halt at the splendid Langass Lodge.  47 miles.

Tuesday: Tail wind to Berneray ferry then across to Harris.  Lunch in Tarbert then up and over the pass onto Lewis. A total of 73 miles and 6:15 in the saddle. Ready for some grub now!

Wednesday:  Very early start for the 06:00 ferry to Ullapool then a 56 mile ride back to Inverness.
Really tough ride out of Ullapool. Vicious headwind followed by heavy rain. Pain eased by bacon butties in Aultguish, grand lunch in Contin, sticky bun in Beauly.

A splendid adventure.

Down Dava Way

A second weekend on the trot in Nairnshire - must be the beer festival drawing 
me back. 

Tootled around on Friday, walked to collect the car whichwe'd left at 
"The Clach" after a night out there.  Then a book club session to discuss "Winter's Bone". 

Packed the van after all that and parked up at lovely Lochindorb for the 

night. 

Saturday:  To Dunphain "Breathing Space" for a great walk along the Dava Way.  Stuffed full of wildlife: hare by the van, roe deer on the track, loads of 

oystercatchers bizarrely perching on the viaduct. 

Topped up with provisions in Forres and parked up for thenight. Fine BBQ washed down with - well lots actually!

Sunday:  Over to Brodie castle car park for brekkers. It's just across the road from The Old Mill where we'll start and finish today's bike ride - before falling upon the beer festival!

Only four folk for the bike ride - but we had a lovely ride - and an equally good beer festival session afterwards.

Nice Times in Nairnshire

Two excellent days on a natural heritage awareness course completed my working 
week. Really interesting and lots of wildlife.  Trips to see how our work 
relates to dolphins, red kites, salmon and much more. 

Then off in the van for a blend of hill walking, watching horse trials, and 
cycling. 

Friday:  Parked up in the Findhorn valley above Drynachan for a riverside stroll 
and picnic.  Then along to a lovely riverside spot for our overnight parking. 
Wild Violets and Sandpipers right beside us. 

Saturday:  A sunny start with breakfast beside the Findhorn. 
Then to Burgie for a fine day watching the international horse trials. Not too 
many folk about so most enjoyable walking around the cross country course. 
Called in at The Old Mill in Brodie by way of of a recce for next week's CTC 
ride/real ale festival. 



Overnighted at a walled garden CL in Geddes. 

Sunday:  Met CTC pals at Cawdor for a ride through the lanes to Lochindorb. Very 
nice. Good training for my upcoming Hebrides ride with Lew. 

Sunshine on Shetland

Puffins at Herma Ness

Off in the van for 6 day trip in the van to Shetland.
A very nice crossing from Aberdeen to Lerwick.  Jan overslept our dinner reservation so I fined her a bottle of malt - this ensured a pleasant evening.

Friday:   Off to Sumburgh Head for breakfast with the sea birds.
Excellent walk around the head.  Feast of seabirds and flowers. Highlights were puffins, skuas, fulmars, spring squills.

Excellent evening at Diane Taylor's where we we're joined by wild gals Anne and Fiona of SNH bunkhouse trips fame.

Saturday:  Parked up for the day at Bigton where's there's to be yoal racing this afternoon.  Spent the morning strolling around beautiful St Ninian's Isle. Marmite, mayo, coriander toasties for a splendid picnic. In the afternoon we watched the yoal racing at a teeny regatta at Bigton. Fun.
Then drove way out on West Mainland to a remote spot recommended by a colleague - Dale of Walls. Fabulous seascape out to Foula. Time for a beer!



Sunday: Woke to a third sunny day. What luck. Breakfast in the sun in this remote bay with sky full of terns and fulmars.

Very scenic drive to Blaewick on North Mainland. Excellent campsite with great views. Quick roast lunch then a superb clifftop walk at dramatic Esha Ness.  Back to the van for a wash and brush up as Shetland ageing ATO John Taylor is popping over this evening.

Blaewick

A fine evening with John and Helen.  Many tall tales told but my beer stocks sadly depleted..

Monday:   Early start to get the ferry to Yell and then another to Unst.

Sensory overload today.  Rare flowers on Keen of Hamar NNR including Edmondson's Chickweed and Heath Spotted Orchid. Then bird paradise on Herma Ness NNR. Great Skuas just feet away. Puffins equally close. Gannets and many more. A magnificent place to visit. Also fitted in a quick pop into Valhalla Brewery for some fine Shetland ale.

Parked up for the night on Yell with stunning sea views to accompany my ale.

Heath Spotted Orchid

Tuesday: A wet and cloudy morning. Scooted back to Lerwick and spent our last day looking around the harbour. Made very welcome by SNH colleague Denise in our area office on the harbour. Then finally back onto the ferry.

A really excellent trip. We'll be back!

Lovely Littleferry

Littleferry

Back to Loch Fleet. This time to a new spot on the south side of Littleferry.  Nice grassy flat area overlooking the exit of river into sea.  Paused en route for a brew at Newton Point. A fine spot looking across the Kyle of Sutherland to Struy Hill.

Glorious walk along the dunes to Embo then back along a disused railway.  Wildlife paradise.  Highlights were common terns, plovers, and a terrific close sighting of a female hen harrier.  Now to bbq some stuffed mushrooms.  Lots of ale, merlot and malt to accompany it too.

Saturday:  Nice idle start then a good long walk around Skelbo estate - pausing for a fine pub lunch in the Trentham Arms. Tradewinds and chicken curry. Mmmmhh.

Pedalled into Dornoch on a replenishment mission. Had to put the Pinarello on automatic.

Oystercatchers

Sunday:  Found an oystercatcher nest (can you it a nest?) on the pebbles besides the loch.  Beautiful.  Weather is poor so scurried home rather than cycling.  Weather might improve later.  So it's Sunday Times and Monaco GP on the box for now.

A fine Highland weekend.

Nanny Heath returns to Inverness

Mum flew up for a week of looking after her little lad.  It was her 89th birthday on Thursday.  We had a splendid birthday lunch in a favorite of hers - the Loch Ness Country House Hotel.

Later that day George Thompson, an old friend from Darwen Dashers, rolled up on his bike - he's doing LEJOG+  We fed and watered  him ready for the next day's ride to Helmsdale.



On Friday I rode off with George.  A nice 45 mile pedal before lunch - thanks to a very helpful tail wind.  The black pudding tea cake at Evanton probably helped too!  I left George to continue on near Hill of Fearn where I RV'd with Jan and Mum for a lift back home.  Tonight we'll replace those lost calories with dinner in "The Clach".
Easy day with Mum on Saturday.  Some, shopping, garden centre, Brodie castle then back home.

The house martins have returned to our eaves after missing us for 2 years. Had a go at getting some pictures with the G2 zoom. Not great results. Need to use a tripod and wait for better light.

Sunday:   I cycled to Nairn to meet Mum and Jan before going to the airport.   A mad car driver overtook a caravan on a bend in Culloden and came straight at me. Up the curb for me!  Many expletives issued.  Calmed by watching roe deer graze below Nairn viaduct.  Then another shock. Pedaling at speed past the field archery centre - ear splitting bang and a puncture. Thought they'd shot me.  It was just my 110psi tyre splitting asunder.  Jury rigged a repair and limped along to be rescued by Jan.


This evening we'll round off the weekend to visit Arthur and Rose Burns who are on Dingwall camp site.  They are army folk from way, way back.  Be nice to exchange tales.  Good old Facebook linked us up after a 30 year gap.  Isn't technology great!

North Sutherland - Bikes and Boots

Lazy day of admin on Friday plus a pedal into town for a pint. 

Packed the van ready to head off after Jan's evening at a hospice fund raiser. Picked her up and drove up to Strathrory.

Saturday:  Up to Lairg to meet CTC pals for a ride to Tongue. Great route but a stiff headwind made it hard work. Finished with a tailwind which was great. 39 mph - wheeeeeeee!

Lovely overnight spot, Tongue

Met up with Jan who'd found an excellent overnight spot beside the Kyle overlooking Ben Loyal and Ben More.

Sunday:  A nice stroll around Talmine then set off back south. Called in at Eden Court to see "The Way" (nothing special), then a final pitstop in The Clach to seal a fine weekend.

Carousing and Cameras

Cawdor Woods

A blend of fun this weekend.  Started it in style with a visit to Inverness' only tapas bar to hear our friends' band "Highland Hotclub".  Fine music, ale, wine, tapas, conversation - and fuzzy heads.

So a slow start to a weekend away in the van in Nairnside. Easy stroll and a bbq.

On Saturday I joined friends from work for a photography fieldwork session in lovely Cawdor woods.   My efforts below.  Such a nice place that Jan and I returned there in the afternoon for a sunlit stroll (Oh, and for a nice IPA in the splendid Cawdor tavern).

Nairnshire lanes

Sunday:  Too idle to go orienteering.  We went for a stroll instead and finished it off with fish and chips in Nairn.

An Active May Day Weekend

Nice hill walk up Ben Macdui on Friday with David Warren. Starting from the ski car park makes it a LOT easier!  Still a tough one though.




A much gentler one with Jan on Saturday - the "pap" above Dingwall.  Nice stroll but I'd expected a better view from the top. The ford that Jan took was a better option than the stepping stones I fell off!

Finally got up Beinn nan Sparra, an obscure little hill above Glen Affric which, according to a 19th century painter, one of the 3 finest views in Europe. It was a 10 mile bike and hike. Well worth the effort.

Glen Affric from Beinn nan Sparra - magic!

Monday - last day of play for a while.  A very pleasant slow ride exploring some back lanes and trails on the Black Isle.

Popmobile Mk1

Rounded the weekend off with taking Poppy to the pub in her Popmobile.

Elevenses in Mount Eagle forest

Bring on the next hols!