Moving House

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Mal's Edinburgh Allotment

Geese Fly Past

Here's a great sight we experienced last weekend in the Pentland Hills

End of a Cherry Tree

Location: Craiglockhart Hill in the grounds of Craig House (currently Napier University).  This spring newly weds were having their picture taken with this tree in blossom as the background.  I had hoped to capture the tremendous autumn colour display, but the tree got the chop first, following the loss of one limb.  I'm sure it was deemed to be a danger to the public.  As you can see rot had set in at the core.

Found an old picture

Skywatch

Interesting cloud formation!

For a better view see: occasionalscotland 

Sunset

Easter Ross Views

Loch Glass

Dingwall with Black Isle beyond

Wishing Tree at Fairy Glen Falls

Fairy Glen

Inverness from Chanonry Point

Chanonry Point

Avoch

Fortrose

Ben Wyvis

Saturday 14 July 2012

Sunset with Ben Wyvis looming

Ben Wyvis  from the south

This is the hill that looms over Dingwall just North of Inverness.

Earlier in the day we set off to climb it. Here's the route up. From here it looks like a single peak...

An Cabar - the way up

...but when you reach this summit you see two more ahead:

Three summits: An Cabar, Carn a' Chaptein  and Glas Leathad Mor

Cairn on An Cabar - Glas Leathad Mor  is the summit

While the ascent is steep and in parts paved with stone slabs the top is like a grassy plateau

A walk in the park

It is pretty cold all the same as there is no protection from the wind.  We were elated to reach the highest point at Glas Leathad Mor but keen to get warm again (the dog included)

The Summit

Here's the path zig-zagging down to the road at the top of the picture:

The way back down

Here's a few more snaps:

Toby

The view West

Looking  East

Running Rings?

Athletic poses.

Short on the paint budget?

Carrying a Torch

Anyone who thinks the Olympic Torch has had a lukewarm reception in Scotland is mistaken.

Norman's Picture

 So many people turned out that I couldn't find a vantage point. So I've borrowed Norman's picture. (He was only about 50 yards away)

My picture of the torch

The same street corner 1/2 an hour earlier

Dull - but not Boring

Today was a special day for several reasons: 

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee 

My Birthday

Our First Munro   see Munros

The village of Dull "sistering" with the town of Boring   see Dull and Boring

On our way to our chosen Munro (Schiehallion) we happened to pass said village. It didn't bode well:

OFT Compliance in action

On arrival at base camp the weather was... dull

However we are not ones to grouse - as we reminded by this pair we met on the way:

Grouse - Shot of the Day?

Shiehallion has at least one false summit



 but you can tell the real one because by that stage it looks like the Moon's surface. (There are people on the summit and one on the approach in this picture)

When we got to the summit a kind fellow walker offered to take our picture together

Toby did particularly well on the rock scrabbling as he is profoundly blind.

Around the bend

Snow in June

The way up looking back

Toby

All in all a very memorable day!

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle - The Half Moon Battery

There's no denying the power of Edinburgh Castle

Tattoo Seating from the Grassmarket

Right now preparations are under way for the Military Tattoo. The seating arrangements are like building a stadium on the Esplanade, but they are only there for three months each year.  The buses pass our house each night to drop the performers off and bring them back to barracks each night.

Sometimes it seems the castle is around every corner.  The other day, when it was windy,  there was a workman on the scaffolding up by that flagpole!

Also comes in pink

There's something to be said for mass planting:

The Meadows today

Despite the cold weather we've had that is blossom, not snow on the ground.

Barclay Church

If you try hard you can imagine a rocket taking off from clouds of pink exhaust fumes!