Friday 29 April 2016

Venice

Check out some more photos from last weekend in "Images from the Road"  --->

Venice 

Wednesday 27 April 2016

Stuff that grows in my garden

A springtime garden safari. I can't take much credit - they were mostly there when I bought the house.









ok, dandelions are weeds - but I don't mind them




the stuff I'll be able to eat....apple
plum
chive
peppermint

Monday 25 April 2016

In the News - American Man visits Skye...

The West Highland Free Press reports the visit to the Isle of Skye by Kayne West - without much enthusiasm.







Tuesday 19 April 2016

Castle Sween


Last October I took a run to the village of Tayvallich on Loch Sween on the Argyll coast. I noticed on the map that on the other side of the Loch was Castle Sween. I didn't have time visit then but went for a run there yesterday.

Castle Sween is thought to be the oldest castle in Scotland and dates from the late 1100s.
Location of the castle
On the way there I stopped at Inveraray. The "Vital Spark" was the name of the "puffer" in comedy short stories by Neil Munro. Puffers were small cargo ships that serviced the Highlands and Islands. The stories were made into TV comedies. The ship in the photo was used in the '90's "Tales of Para Handy".
The story of the castle








Looking down Loch Sween to the sea

The kitchen
Ovens



A well inside the castle is a good idea if you have to withstand a siege

Friday 15 April 2016

The Roads to Nowhere on the Cowal Peninsular - Part#3


At Ardlamont Point there a a couple of houses….
… that must have one of the best views in the country
Daffodils at Kames
Tighnabruiach
The Kyles of Bute
Dunoon
My final dead-end west of Dunoon leads to a Navy fuel depot.
On the ferry

There are two "dead ends" I didn't visit. One is to Strone point. On this road there is a short ferry from Colintiave to the Island of Bute - so that may be a future trip. Also Glen Massan - but that doesn't look that interesting on Streetview.

Wednesday 13 April 2016

The Roads to Nowhere on the Cowal Peninsular - Part#2


Old Laughlan Castle….
…and the new one nearby
How cute is this cottage?
The view from the cottage - Canada geese grazing in a field beside Loch Fyne
Otter Ferry
Highland hospitality - the drinking fountain has a cup provided
Portavadie. There is a ferry from here to Tarbet
Also the "ghost village" of Pollphail. This was built in the early '70's at the start of the North Sea Oil boom. Constructed by the Scottish Government for workers in a proposed yard constructing oil rigs. But the yard never materialised and the village was abandoned.
I spied this remote beach at Kilbride Bay but….
..there is no access (by road anyway)