Showing posts with label Tuesday Travels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tuesday Travels. Show all posts

2012-09-13

120705 Skottland-Scotland , day 12 Thursday Mull of Oa

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Tuesday Travels    Our World Tuesday
 
Click to enlarge All photos NF Photo 120705 
120705 Thursday, day 12  Mull of OA and Ferry
 
Woke up at 5 but managed to slumber again. Then woke up at the clock 7.25. Started packing for todays move. Breakfast at 8 as usual. Paid my bill and get myself ready and packed. It is a fine morning and looks promising for the first trip down to The Mull of Oa.
 

The trip to Oa was really a hit. It was a rather pleasant walk in a gorgeous country. The only backdraw was that it was wet so my shoes got wet too. The ground was a thick layer of moss and contained a lot of water. Soft, wet and slippery.  It was best to keep to the path.


A lot of long horns was kept in the fenced area. Curious about us. It was steep so one had to be careful. There was some fences right at the edge. I wonder how they built it. Can´t be of much use if a cow comes too close. 
 
 

Birds was far out as usual, or down, in this case. But this was a great place for a photographer. Near the edge to the ocean was a gorgeous view in all directions. We all took our time just enjoing ourselves.


 We saw a Peregrine Falcon (pilgrimsfalk) today and a lot of Fulmars (stormfågel), cows and seals. And a goat. There were also some Gannets passing by. The Fulners was really goodlooking as they swept by the black rocks and sparkling water. Or clinging on nest at the side of the cliffs.


 
At the highest point was a memorial again. A tower, American Monument. Great view over the ocean there too. Then it was time to return to the car. All to soon I think most of us thought.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

We had lunch at 13.30 in a nearby village. I had Panini with ham and Brie cheese. It was a bit burned so the bread had a bad taste. Otherwise good. Done eating at 15.20. It was a nice restaurant and they had a very pleasing restroom.

 
 
 
Then we spent some time looking at a memorial statue in Port Ellen close to the ferry. We had some more time before we should embark the ferry so we went to the other side of the bay for a walk towards the lighthouse.


 
 

cave at Port Ellen
 

 
 
The others went ahead as I had seen something I´d like to take some shots of. It was quite nice to just stroll a bit. Shooting a wader, some oystercatcher and flowers and whatever I found. I saw a cave but did not have the time to investigate it.
 
 
 
Ferry departure was at 17.55 in Port Ellen. A bit early. Guess it goes when all cars are loaded. The trip was amazing. Soo many birds. So much fun. Can´t wait to see the shots. We arrived at Kennacraig at 20.20h and then headed to Inveraray and George Hotel which took about an hour.
 
Two Gannets passing by.

 
We arrived to Inveraray at 21.30 and I got a room far away from everything. I´m the maiden in the tower waiting for her prince. I just lack the long hair. They gave me a room in an other building. Had to cross a stony garden with the suitcase. Luckily they carried it as they had to show me the way. I´m on the 3:d floor. A windling staircase with an old thick carpet. Scary to walk on. I was happy I did not carry the suitcase. My bathroom is in the hallway. At least I don´t have to share it. I took a quick shower and uploaded todays shots to the computer. 

No working internet in the room so now I am sitting in a noisy pub with my hair wet and I will shot this down as soon as I´m done. I was accompanied by Sture and Ola for a while and I showed Sture what I was doing as he asked me once before. Now Ola asked me if I wanted to send him some shots for the short rapport. Sure, can do that.

I went back to the room and made me a cup of coffe. I had to sit in the bed drinking it a there was no chair and no table. :(  Made some additional notes and set the computer to charge. And went to bed.
 

Breakfast tomorrow will be at 7.30.
120705-06 The George Hotel, Inveraray http://www.thegeorgehotel.co.uk/
 


Mer om Skottland på NF Photo och Fågelarter
More about Scotland on NF Photo and Bird species

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Svensk dagbok
Mull of Oa
Port Charlotte
Kilchoman
Evening Ferry 18.00 from Port Ellen to Kennacraig, 20.20


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2012-08-13

120628 Skottland-Scotland , day 5 Thursday, Arran

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Click to enlarge All photos,  NF Photo 120628
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120628 Thursday, day 5
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Woke up 5.00. Checked my mail around 6.3o. It´s been heavy rain during the night. We were supposed to meet at 7.00 As it was till raining Ola did not want to go out and it was only me and Annevi and her husband at the door. The three of us took a stroll along the bay in Locrantza. We headed out to a ruin where we saw some Eurasian Oystercatchers (strandskata) with chicks. There seem to be a lot of them here in Scotland. We also saw two Black Guillemots (Tobisgrissla). That is a beautiful one. :)




After strolling at the shore for a while we turned and went north and out to the ferry berth.  It is just a small one here taking maybe 10 cars.
(tobisgrissla, strandskateungar,mås, hussvala, rödhake)

8.30, breakfast. And that took a long time as it was served by one and only one chef.
After breakfast we left at 9.15. Driving "The string road"





 First we went uphill to see if there was any eagles and deers. During the asent it started to rain. And momentarily very heavy. We did see some deers but just barely. It was to much rain to get to se them properly. Ola decided it to be a safety hazard so we turned a´round and went back to the main road by the sea. Ola does not drive today, his roommate does.

Back at the shore we was stoped by some bikers. They were looking at three otters swimming close to shore and then entering it. People were quite excited about it. Especially when it turned out to be a young among them. But that one was hard to spot.

We birded for a while a bit more south at Kilbrannan Sound on Arrans westcoast but the weather was still troublesome. But I did get some great shots. :)


Around 12.30 we came into a community and stoped to bird for a while as the rain had stoped. I think I heard a black cap but I AM NOT SURE. Then we headed into Killoch hotel  for lunch. I took sandwiches and it was not good.

We followed the coast to the southern part of Arran and there it stoped. More rain,  not fun at all. People started to doze off in the car. On the way back at the north coast of the island somebody spotted a whale, everyone was excited. Even the sun came out for a while.


At 17.10 we arrived at the local destillary, the smallest one in Scotland. Arran Destillery. But we were too late for a tour so we could only buy something. I bought two almanacks for next year and a whisky licour. The sun was now shining and we saw some trush on the lawn. I think it is a Song Trush.


Coming back to the hotel I took a new walk to the south. Passing the ruins looking for birds but did not find anything. I was back at the hotel in time for dinner at seven. Chicken as usual,  and now I write, checking the shots and getting dry.



120627-28 Lochranza Hotel, Lochranza Arran http://www.lochranzahotel.co.uk/
Tomorrow morning we leave early with the ferry. Luggage ready to load at 8.00. Then breakfast.

Middag ingår i resans pris.
Mer om Skottland på NF Photo  Fågelarter
More about Scotland on NF Photo  Bird species  
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