A watery week

Well it's Nature Friday again, and truth to tell, I've been struggling a bit this week to come up with a coherent post, as we've been here, there and everywhere, including a quick trip over to Torridon to deal with a (Gail says) boring cottage maintenance issue.

Looking at the various photos taken over the week, a common theme did emerge.

Water! 

Something we are never short of in this part of the world. 

So here I am by the River Dee on a peaceful Sunday walk with our friends M, J and K (photo taken by M).

Then a day later, on the Nairn beach, favourite stop en route to Torridon. (These days I'm let out of the car after an hour of driving, or maximum an hour and a half, which means lots of nice little walks.)

It was a watery scene when we reached Loch Torridon.

See the puddles outside the front gate to the cottage just after dawn on Wednesday.

A bit later that morning I enjoyed the tranquil scene by the loch, for a few minutes anyway, before the wind got up and more rain swept in.

At least the waterfalls never run dry in this part of the world.

Can you see me here, showing great bravery crossing a stream in the woods at the base of Beinn Eighe, a final walk on the western side of Scotland before we set off back to the relative dryness of the north east.

 

Look! There are actual patches of sunshine on the slopes of Slioch. After our walk in the forest, Gail wanted me to wash my paws with a paddle in the clear, clean waters of Loch Maree before I got back into the car, but I did not co-operate.

Happy Nature Friday friends. Was your week a wet or a dry one?

Bladder-friendly road trip log

So. I finally have my Torridon to Aberdeen chauffeur service sorted to my satisfaction. And to my bladder's satisfaction. 

First leg, Torridon cottage to Beinn Eighe Visitor Centre near Kinlochewe (thirty-five minute drive).

Stop for one mile walk round the Buzzard Path. Pretty views but don't see any buzzards.

Second leg, Beinn Eighe Visitor Centre to Nairn Beach (about an hour and a half drive).

Stop for quick romp on Nairn Beach. Photographer "could do better", but is distracted by proximity of kiosk selling artisan pannacotta fudge ice cream...

Third leg, Nairn to Bin Forest near Huntly (another hour in car).

Stop for 1.5 mile forest walk. I most considerately ensure chauffeur has nice view of Aberdeenshire countryside to enjoy while I attend at length to the important business.

Fourth and final leg, home to Aberdeen (just under an hour).

Home sweet home. Dog happy. Bladder comfortable throughout. 

In search of the fairy toadstool...

FOUND IT!

N.B. I want to reassure you, that I, Bouncing Bertie Boffin, Scientific Advisor to Blogville etc. etc., have identified the specimen of fungus in the photo above as a 'fly agaric', more formally Amanita muscaria, of the phylum Basidiomycota. This type of toadstool is known to contain psychoactive substances, which may explain (scientifically of course) its cultural association with fairies and such like!