To Coire an Leth -Uillt

So here we are on the Coulin Estate in Torridon, all set for our Friday nature ramble.

I pose for a moment among the fragrant bog myrtle, with Loch Clair in the background, and behind that Liathach, Torridon's most iconic, and precipitous, Munro.

Then it's across the Allt na Luib and up the path through the bracken, heather and Scots pines.

The route ascends steadily but fortunately not too steeply (Gail's hill-climbing muscles are, frankly, a bit out of practice), and after a while we emerge from the forest into open heath.

You can see the white bobbles of bog cotton in the picture below, but the myriad of little moorland flowers in bloom just now - tormentil, bog asphodel, heath bedstraw, milkwort, to name just the most abundant - do not show up well in today's pictures.

In another mile or so we reach today's destination, the shallow natural amphitheatre of the Coire an Leth -Uillt, where the path peters out and I pause to pose nicely.

You will have deduced that the route is just a tad boggy in parts.

It is 17 - 19ºC, a warm day by local standards, and as we descend I make a wee side trip and  treat myself to a luxurious cooling spa bath, emerging all fresh and clean...

We continue down the main path. Did I mention that it is boggy in parts?

For some reason, Gail and I are not invited in for drinks at the estate house near the end of the walk...

Happy Nature Friday friends!

Torridon at last!

So here we are, finally allowed back to the peaceful patch of paradise that is our west coast cottage. The morning dawned bright, still and glorious and, knowing such conditions tend to be temporary in this part of the world, it was high time to head out.

We are here for a week, so there will be more in due course! 

Return to the Highlands

Shall I let you into a wee secret?

In my role as (unofficial) Ambassadog for Scotland, I sometimes try to draw a veil across the less attractive aspects of the Scottish climate.

Take this weekend for example. For the first time since March, we were allowed to drive more than five miles from home for 'leisure purposes'. Gail decided we'd go for a walk in Ballochbuie Forest, on the Queen's Balmoral Estate. Long time readers of this blog will know it's one of our favourite places.

Just at the moment, as I'm sure you'll understand, our tourist industry needs all the help it can get. What a great opportunity then, for me to showcase our glorious landscape in perfect summer conditions.

It was bright and sunny when we arrived at the car park and I was raring to go.

The River Dee was at its sparkling liveliest too.

We tried to ignore the gathering clouds, and every time the sun peeked through, Gail grabbed the camera.

But it became increasingly difficult to capture those brief moments of brightness.

At noon, as we reached the Queen's hut, I could feel a few raindrops falling on my head and back. 

While Gail ate her sandwich on the sheltered bench, I was given a chew. But for fear I might drop the chew through the gaps between the wooden slats, I retreated on to the grass, and pretended it was not now raining hard.

While I was wishing I had a bigger chew so I could eat it safely on the sheltered terrace, Gail packed away her camera and was wishing she'd put her gloves in her daypack.

At least it was too windy for the midges...

We explore a secret cove

So we've parked the car at Portlethen Village, a few miles south of the city, and set off along a farm track with the North Sea on our left.

I greet some noisy relatives(?) of Phenny and Nelly before being 'encouraged' to move swiftly on.

After about a kilometre, we pass by some very small houses and continue down to where the road ends.

I ignore a sign in favour of some important sniffing activity...

...while Gail tries (with limited success) to zoom in on a cormorant colony with her phone camera.

Steep cliffs Gail, what steep cliffs? Why are you looking nervous? It's a good path. I don't think you need your walking string.

Apparently we are not here to play draughts/checkers...

...and so we proceed down to the secret cove...

...where I pose nicely on the silvery schist. 

 

Then Gail sits down on the rocks and we share a cheese and tomato sandwich, enjoying the peace and solitude, disturbed only by the gentle lapping of sea and the occasional squawking of the sea birds swooping around the cliffs above. 

Happy Nature Friday friends! Do go and see what the other participants in the LLB Gang's weekly blog hop have to show us today.