Saturday 24 September 2011

Across the top and back again

A very speedy two day catch up as I'm running low on laptop battery and I couldn't get signal last night for the Mifi from Three which is what enables us to blog on the road.

So, where are we? We're currently parked up for the night near Lochinver which is a few miles south of the very north west tip of Scotland. Yesterday saw us reach as far across the north coast as you can go by road - and what a road it is. Twisty, turning, windy and up and down with a new delight around every single corner. I am constantly torn between looking up into the skies for golden eagles while admiring the rainbows which seem a constant feature with the sunshine and showers weather we have had this week, or the lochs and coastline for a glimpse of seals, dolphins, whales or otters, or looking out at the landscape - misty topped mountains, sweeping pine forests, glorious coverings of heather and gorse all changing into their autumnal colours with the chance of spotting deer or maybe even a wildcat.

We have been so very lucky in ticking off our list of Things We'd Love To See and our luck is holding fast. Yesterday we spent ages pouring over our bird books having watched a very large bird soaring over us to see if we could identify it as a golden eagle. We were fairly sure judging by it's flight pattern and sillhouette but it had been very high in the sky. Later in the afternoon though we were treated to a low flying very definite golden eagle sighting, close enough to see the golden feathers and everything! Today we saw a red deer stag at fairly close range too, long enough to even capture a photo, although you will have to look very closely to spot him camouflaged as he is in the heather.

We've explored the first chamber of a cave, complete with waterfall, spent time on beaches flying Dragon's kite, combing for shells and seaglass and searching for fossils, driven for hours just soaking up the landscape and had every meal and cup of tea in a new and different location.

At Smoo Cave

stunning landscapes

beautiful beaches

flying his kite

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