Holiday 2008

While we were staying at Ullapool, we went to the Geology Park. From what I can gather, this is an area of outstanding geological interest,

rather than full of "fun rides", (which I did know before we went!) and there are various walks with facts set into the footpaths using different signs and some interactive areas for the children.

While we were in Gairloch, we went on a boat trip with Gairloch Marine Life Cruise, which we do every year. This year, along with the usual guillemot, gannet, kittiwake, fulmar, arctic skua, razorbill, shag, cormorant, grey seal, red-throated diver and harbour porpoise, (which we've seen once before)
we were priveledged enough to see minke whale and puffin.

Could say, we had a whale of a time!

Sorry.

A taster of my new camera

A pair of roe deer, spotted on the way to the hairdresser.
A longhorn beetle (of some variety...)

Artistic pic of shelduck feathers!

You can't see me

I am an optical illusion. I always thought that would be a neat trick!

We are on holiday, in Gairloch, as usual.

Yes we are.

We are!

If I say it often enough I'll convince myself...

It has to be said, when one chooses to camp in a tent, one accepts the fact that one is somewhat at the mercy of the weather. We normally cope with whatever is thrown at us quite easily and are rewarded with the occasional warm, dry, still day.

Not this year! The plan was five nights in Ullapool, followed by seven in Gairloch. We had three nights in Ullapool before we decided surviving was no fun, it would be better to strike camp, (hark at me, 'strike' camp!) in a controlled manner at a time of our choosing, unlike the Dutch family that made a hurried retreat to their car at 1am. So we did. Until a huge gust broke two tent poles, just as we took the tent pegs out.

Pants.

Oh well, we'd decided to go home for a couple of days till it blew through, so en-route stopped off at a little place we know to get the poles fixed. While we were at home, popped to the Boat of Garten RSPB centre to see the osprey chicks just before they fledged. Lovely.

Thursday we set off for Gairloch, as planned. As David finished off pitching the tent, I popped down to the Gairloch Marine Wildlife Centre that we visit annually to book a boat trip. Had spaces in 45 mins or 1pm the next day, when we knew it was forecast calm but wet. We opted for the earlier trip. Bit of a rush, but we all made it and had a real treat, harbour porpoise, minke whale and puffin, along with gannets, guillemots, razorbill, shags, cormorants, kittiwakes, fulmar, skua, seals, the list goes on. Fabulous. If you go up that way, well worth the visit!

We knew the winds were due to get up again on Saturday with some really high gusts, so we had already decided to cut our trip short and go home again while the going was good. So, we are at home with two hire cars to potter around and entertain ourselves! We'd done the things we'd wanted to do, the important trips, so I'm not too disappointed and it's actually quite nice to have cars at home and be able to do things around here for a change. We're going to the cinema!

I have photographs. I will download them. Soon.