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As per usual before writing this round-up post , I had forgotten just how much of the Natural World I have seen in 2023. It’s always nice to look back on photos, although I don’t always manage to get photographic evidence!
Typically some of my favourite wildlife moments this year have not been caught on camera. Back in April on a walk over Melmerby Fell, we surprised a couple of Black Grouse , they soon scurried away into the undergrowth. Also in the Spring I saw my first ever Cuckoo! And whilst on holiday in Wester Ross Wil and I were lucky enough to witness a juvenile Golden Eagle.
I am not the most patient of wildlife watchers. Most of my photos are just quick lucky snaps, taken when out and about with a certain Black Labrador. So I’m hoping that in 2024 I will linger that little bit longer and appreciate the Natural world that little bit more. Anyway here are a few photos I have taken this year. �?��?⬛
The Yellowhammer is a sunshiney bird of heath and farmland, whose chatter resembles a request for ‘ a little bit of bread and cheese’. I often see them around the country lanes of Cumbrias Eden Valley. I spied a few sun basking Wall Brown Butterflies enjoying late afternoon rays in Melmerby, Cumbria. This Blue Banded Demoiselle joined me in a staring competition. Males are metallic blue and females are a shimmering green. Common Seals are in fact less common in British Waters than our other native species, the Grey seal. We saw both seals whilst holidaying in North West Scotland. Another mammal species we were lucky enough to glimpse in Scotland were Red Deer. These hinds look happy in the heather. The feeders at Dubwath Silver Meadows Nature Reserve near Bassenthwaite are often full of acrobatic Siskins. Collared Earthstar are just one of the fantastic fungi to be found in Weston Park, Staffordshire. The Hooded Crow is a striking grey corvid with a black head and wings. They are found in Scotland, Northern Ireland & the Isle of Man. Male Small Copper will rest on walls like the one above in Melmerby, awaiting passing females. Such pretty little butterflies.Apparently the Common Tern is also known as the Sea Swallow. This lonely one was perched on a rocky island off the coast of Gairloch. Not a great photo, but here’s a Canary Shouldered Thorn Moth I was surprised to see whilst at work in October. We walked amongst the most beautiful Bluebell display at Flake bridge Woods, Cumbria in May. Some of a small group of hares in a Melmerby meadow. They could collectively be known as a Drove, Band, Flick, Down or Husk of Hares. It’s always a pleasure to see Pink/Ballerina Waxcaps in November on Melmerby Village Green. Wheatears are a summer visitor to the UK and favour remote hillsides. There were lots of Common Blue Butterfly dancing around Salthill Quarry Nature Reserve in Clitheroe this Summer. I saw my first ever Guillemot this year, hanging out around Blackness Castle in Scotland.
I have recently been celebrating a special birthday ( one ending with a zero ) with friends and family, over four consecutive wknds. Yes , I have been dragging it out a little bit !
My last get together was at my cousin’s holiday cottage, which is actually very near to where I spent my childhood. The first 17 years of my life were but a farm track away from the tiny hamlet of Mearley, at the foot of Pendle Hill. And it was here that I returned to celebrate turning 50 ( eeek! ) in this beautiful farmhouse setting.
We had a Jacobs Join on the Friday night , played records, did a quiz and plenty of prosecco was consumed!
I had expected to get snowed in. Not a bad place for that to happen! As it was, we only really experienced a hard frost, so were able to get out and about. Found a cute church fair , a lovely Christmas market and enjoyed a meal out at The Forum in Whalley on Saturday evening.
Thanks to my friends and family for helping me celebrate. �?��?�?��?�?��?
This posts photos were taken by Becky, Arwen and Gill.
Next year to save money, we have decided to use our lovely static caravan for all our UK holidays. Whether we do remains to be seen of course! All too often it seems, we are tempted by new destinations and quite often, quirky accomodations! Here I have listed 10 of our more unusual stays, happily all of them seem to be still going strong. 🙂
A Showmans Wagon In Cornwall.
Located in Cornwall’s beautiful Tamar Valley, Spring Park is a captivating collection of vintage vans and cute cabins, set in their own private wildflower meadows. We stopped in The Duke, a 1940s Showmans Wagon back in 2016. I absolutely loved how cosy The Duke is , with its french enamel wood burning stove and colourful decor. A large modern bathroom is situated in a separate timber building and just outside there’s a Wood Fired Hot Tub. Your deep in the Cornish countryside here, so truly a place to relax and recharge.
A Crofters Cottage In The Outer Hebrides.
White sands, turquoise sea and stunning machair are just some of the attractions of a stay on North Uist in The Outer Hebrides. In 2017 we rented Monty’s Cottage , a thatched one story Crofters cottage on the island . The restored black house had been home to conservationist Monty Halls ( and his rescue dog Roobs) for the BBC series ‘ Monty Halls Great Escapes’. The show had really sparked our interest in visiting the Uists, fast forward a few years and we finally got there, stopping in that very same cottage. Possibly my favourite quirky stay, though I think the gorgeous location was key.
An Art Deco Hotel In The Lake District.
Did you know that there is a beautiful Art Deco hotel in a remote corner of the Lake District. The Haweswater looks out across the reservoir/lake of the same name. Built in 1937 by The Manchester Waterworks, the guesthouse has 17 bedrooms, and two restaurants. The stunning interiors feature parquet flooring and 1930s antiques. We’ve been lucky enough to stay here on two separate occasions and have seen how lovingly the building has been restored over the years.
A Tree Dome In Shropshire.
In 2019 we glamped in style under a canopy of trees in Shropshire. Woodland Escapes near Ludlow comprises of five different properties in a shady woodland setting. Tree Dome with its elevated position and wrap around decking has an alfresco oven for cooking and hot tub for relaxing . It’s a short hop, skip and a jump to the outdoor shower room, but the super kingsize bed and glowing wood burner kept us cosy once back inside the dome.
A Shepherds Hut In The Lakes.
My first glamping experience was back in 2015. Wil, Hugo and I snuggled inside a bijou Shepherds Hut near Coniston Water. I remember we played Scrabble, barbecued and stayed toasty by the wood burning stove. Herdwick Huts have had a change of location since ( the beauty of sheds on wheels!) ,they now reside in the grounds of Rydal Hall. So still that idyllic Lakeland scenery, right on your doorstep.
A Gothic Guesthouse In Whitby.
Seemingly I described La Rosa as a haven for teacups and taxidermy, when we stayed here in 2012. Happily the period townhouse with its coveted views of Whitbys famous abbey has retained it’s eccentricity and kitch decor. The 8 themed bedrooms include a Lewis Carroll inspired boudoir ( the guesthouse was a favourite seaside retreat of his) and a Bram Stoker room. Breakfast is a hamper delivered to your door. A Victorian Tearoom and Cocktail Library add to La Rosa’s unique charm.
A Fairytale Woodland Cottage In Staffordshire.
Hansel & Gretel Cottage is a much loved Victorian Folly , built by a former Earl of Bradford on his Staffordshire Estate. The charming lakeside cottage with its own pier is set in 200 acres of private woodland. Off-grid ( powered by a generator) yet luxurious, guests here are encouraged to toast marshmallows on the fire, read by candlelight and borrow a vintage bicycle to ride around the estate. A romantic retreat and fairytale treat.
A Lighthouse In Wester Ross.
Of everywhere we have been fortunate enough to stop Rua Reidh Lighthouse must be the most remote. Perched high on the cliffs at the end of a long and fairly hair raising 3 mile track, this Stephenson Lighthouse looks out over Loch Ewe and the vast ocean beyond. Guest accommodation comprises of two tastefully renovated former keepers cottage apartments and the bijou sea facing Hide. Rua Reidh is for those who seek solace, bracing cliff top walks and occasional wonderful wildlife spots.
A Cool Castle In Ayrshire.
Last year my sister booked an actual Scottish Castle for a family break by the coast in North Ayrshire. Six adults, two teenagers and a dog made ourselves at home in the quirky and cool Knock Old Castle near Largs. Dating back to the 14th Century, this unique residence is brimmed full of unusual touches. Fresco painted ceilings, fairytale turrets, higgledy piggeldy floors & steps and stained glass windows. There’s also a glass lookout tower, a sauna in another tower, hot tub and a lawned garden perfect for playing croquet.
A Cosy Cabin In Kilmartin Glen.
If there’s an alfresco bath tub in the garden, you know your holiday accommodation is going to be a little bit different. Some years ago we enjoyed a few days away in A Peaceful 1930s Cabin near Kilmartin Glen, Argyle, Scotland. Located in the owners orchard, the cabin features a Scandinavian wood burning stove that really keeps things cosy. I remember making a fruit crumble using apples and plums from the orchard, and eyeing up that bath with some trepidation. 🤔Luckily there’s also a shower room indoors!
Are you tempted by any of the places above?
What is the most quirky accomodation you have stopped in?
* Everything above welcomes dogs. Some don’t have WiFi or television.
Once upon a time, in a land not that far away, an enchanting cottage in a magical forest became our home for a few lazy peaceful days.
The Hansel and Gretel Cottage on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border is a charming woodland folly , with more than a hint of the Grimm’s Fairytale about it. The former Victorian fishing and shooting lodge ,handcrafted in 1856, was used by the Earls of Bradford for entertaining. Guests included Queen Mary, who may or may not have indulged in estate shoots and ice skating on The White Sitch.
Tucked away in the Woods. Frontage with boardwalk to a fishing lake called The White Sitch. Welcome Hamper & Wine. Candles galore. Pooches �? Welcome. Robes. Bicycles. Unfortunately too big for a shortie like me.
The quirky cottage is definitely for those who want to get away from it all. The woodland is private and the only souls we saw were fishermen. There is barely any phone signal. And no TV of course. So you really do feel like you have stepped back in time.
I almost expected to bump into Hansel & Gretel. Or even a wizened old witch! Loved the porch. By the lake. As well as a few fishermen settled around the lake, did spot a Swan 🦢 couple and other water birds. Truly an instagrammers dream.
A walk called ‘ Charlotte’s Walk’ traverses the water and was a sure hit with our labrador Hugo. So nice to have the forest mostly to ourselves and for him to have lots of off-lead wanders.
Charlotte’s Walk’. A selection of the fantastic fungi to be found near the Hansel & Gretel Cottage. Cosy with candles and a roaring fire.
Staying in The Hansel & Gretel Cottage really was like stepping into a fairytale. �?��??
We’ve had some fairly warm September & October days to welcome in the season, these past few weeks. Now though, there is a nip in the air, Autumn is here proper. �??
Days spent in Cumbria have included gentle wanderings. Our lovely Hugo has been having a few of those stiffness of joints problems that labradors are prone to. A new vetinary surgery and a new course of treatment should hopefully help with that.
So no Wainwright walks for us at the moment. Instead here are a few photos from days out, mostly in Cumbrias Eden Valley.
Hugo in the village of Orton where I picked up some walking leaflets for future visits. September Farmers Market in Shap included Flowers, Honey and Morris Dancers. Fly Agaric by the beck at Garrigil. They seem to pop up here every year. Reds Pumpkin 🎃 Patch in Langwathby. Will be reopening during the Half Term holiday. Hugo and Pumpkins. Late Sunflower 🌻Verbena in Melmerby. A Marshmallow laden Hot Chocolate at The Old Village Bakery in Melmerby. One of my favourite Keswick shops ‘ Conquer The Lakes’ has some cosy Autumn �?? Displays.
We have a few days away planned in a different county in a couple of weeks.
A place we like to take our dog for a woodland walk when we are in Cumbria is NT Acorn Bank at Temple Sowerby. There is something different to see here in every season, snowdrops in Winter, daffodils in Spring , bluebells in early Summer and orchard fruits in Autumn. �??�?�
A woodland path leads to a working watermill in the grounds, which was running on our visit. Written evidence suggests there has been a cornmill here since the 1300s, operating from the fabulously named Crowdundle Beck. Wholemeal stoneground flour is stilll made and sold at the mill.
It was the Knights Templar who were the first residents of Acorn Bank, a Roman Catholic Military Order who fought in the Crusades. The last owner of the house and estate before she gifted it to the National Trust was poet & writer Dorothy Una Ratcliffe. Dorothy was a fascinating person with a real love for Gypsy life. You can read about her here in the Country Ways blog.
There was apple �?? tasting on our visit. Acorn Banks orchards are packed full of many apple varieties. The gardens are lovely. Unfortunately dogs aren’t allowed in the gardens ( they are allowed on the woodland walks, in the watermill and in the courtyard & cafe) so I left Wil with Hugo having a coffee in the courtyard and had a quick wander round.
It was a warm day and butterflies ( especially red admirals) were enjoying the early Autumn blooms. I looked out for the Great Crested Newts in the Lily pond , but didn’t see any on this occasion, though I have previously.
It was £2 to fill a medium bag with apples so I took some and actually made a crumble this morning. Very organised for me. �??
Will you be visiting any National Trust places this Autumn �???
The last 3 nights of our Scotland trip were spent back on the East Coast, this time staying at the Richmond Park Hotel in the coastal town of Bo’ness, Southern Firth of Forth area.
Bo’ness was once a major seaport and centre for heavy industry. Today the former burgh is mainly a commuter town for nearby Edinburgh. It is also a great base for exploring local attractions such as Blackness Castle, The Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies.
Outside the oldest building in Bo’ness. Bo’ness Mining Memorial.
There are many fine old buildings in the centre of Bo’ness , with quite a few restoration projects going on. Although we didn’t visit them, attractions here include a Heritage Railway, a Motor Museum and the nearby kinneil House & Estate.
McMoos does the best Ice Creams. The Hippodrome is Scotland’s oldest cinema.
The John Muir Way path traverses the town’s coastline and is a good way of reaching the nearby village of Blackness.
Blackness Castle.
The coastal settlement of Blackness is dominated by it’s 15th Century Castle. Blackness Castle �?� was built to protect the village and it’s important harbour. It has since been a Royal Residence, Military Barrocks and a Prison. Today the castle is open to visitors and there is a gift shop and toilets on site.
Blackness Castle. The Castle has been used as a film location for Ivanhoe, Macbeth and the TV show Outlander. The Bow shape of Blackness Castle means that it is sometimes referred to as ‘ the ship that never Sailed’
Blackness Village has a quirky and colourful pub called The Lobster Pot , a peek inside rewards visitors with a nautical inspired wonderland. It’s famous for its fresh lobster dishes of course. 🦞
The 🦞 Lobster Pot. Inside the Lobster Pot. We shared three starters and some chips. Delicious 😋.Blackness beach.
Linlithgow.
An ancient town, Linlithgow lies between Edinburgh and Falkirk on the shores of Loch Linlithgow. This historic Royal burgh was the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scotts and is full of magnificent old buildings and monuments. On our visit there was a classic car ralley happening. What a glorious backdrop for so many vintage vehicles.
Linlithgow.Many vehicles were parked around the Market Cross. Vintage Vehicles. Market Cross with its ornate Well.
Linlithgow Palace below was a Royal residence and the place of birth of James V and Mary Queen of Scotts. In the grounds we came across a modern statue of Mary looking towards the palace.
Linlithgow Palace Gatehouse.Linlithgow Palace dates back to the 1400s. Mary 👑 Queen Of Scott’s. As a small child she lived at the palace before being sent to France.
I must admit I was very taken with Linlithgow and it’s numerous notable buildings and statues. Here are a small selection of what can be seen.
Bronze statue of the ‘ Black Bitch’ of Linlithgow. For more about her story check out Anabel’s blog here. St Peters Episcopal Church in Byzantine style.This creature foxed us on the lochside. Think he’s a stuffed 🦊.The 16th century Ross Doocot at Learmouth Gardens contains 370 Nest Boxes. Union Canal. Scotland’s only Canal Museum can be found at the basin, also a tea room and boat trips. Bronze statue of ‘ Dudley the cat’ looking out over the canal basin.
A Heritage Trail map can be downloaded featuring these and many other historic buildings and sculptures in Linlithgow.
Falkirk Wheel.
As an incredible fete of engineering The Falkirk Wheel was a must do on our Firth of Forth checklist. It is the world’s first and only rotating boat lift, connecting the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal, allowing coast to coast journeys across Central Scotland. The iconic structure stands 115ft tall and only needs the power of eight electric kettles to transport boats through the air , transferring them gently between the two waterways.
The Falkirk Wheel. Watching a boat being lifted.
We took a 60 minute boat trip ( dogs are allowed on board) and experienced our vessel being ever so slowly lifted into the air. We then travelled a short distance along the canal before making our journey back. The Wheel also has a Visitor Centre, Shop, Cafe and Water sports activities on site.
On board. Ahoy there!
The Kelpies.
Speeking of Iconic Structures…….
Perhaps the most majestic of Scotland’s landmarks are the bold and beautiful Kelpies found at The Helix recreational park exactly half way between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Rising 30 metres above the Forth and Clyde Canal, these exquisite equine beauties are certainly a sight to behold. Designed by sculptor Andy Scott, The Kelpies are a homage to the Heavy Horses that helped shape Scotland’s canal system. They are also a nod to the mythical Kelpies of Scottish folklore, magical shape shifting beasts that live in water and turn into horses on land.
The Kelpies are the largest equine sculptures in the world. Duke & Baron were the real Clydesdale Heavy Horses that Andy Scott modelled his horse sculptures on. Each Kelpie weighs 300 tonnes.
You can pay for a tour of The Kelpies that takes you inside the giant structures. We decided to just wander around the park for free. There are plentiful walking and bike trails at The Helix ,as well as gift shops, visitor centre and cafes.
South Queensferry.
Our last night in Scotland saw us out for an evening meal in the pretty coastal town of South Queensferry. In the shadow of the famous Forth Bridges, this small town has cobbled streets, independent shops and those iconic bridge vistas.
The Forth Railway Bridge is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was completed in 1890. South Queensferry and Christchurch. Distant view of The Forth Road Bridge and Queensferry Crossing. Painted cottages and cobbled streets. Inside The Railway Bridge Bistro with its amazing Forth Bridge Views.
It has certainly been a wonderful experience exploring three very different areas of the Country on our Scotland trip. There hasn’t been anywhere I wouldn’t love to return to.
So it’s raining cats and dogs and you’re out and about in Clitheroe with your four- legged friend. It’s not Beer Garden weather, so where can you and Rover ( or Hugo in my case! ) go to shelter from the rain, sit down with a coffee, relax with a pint, or indeed indulge in a little re Tail therapy? I have put together a list of such places that you and your pooch can enjoy in our Ribble Valley town. �?�
SHOPS. Clitheroe has a good selection of shops that welcome dogs, many of which are independent retailers. �?��?
Banana News ~ Friendly News Agents in the centre of town. Castle Street.
Bodycare ~ Discount Health & Beauty products. Castle Street.
Shawbridge ~ Coffee, Wine & Cocktail bar. Sometimes themed. Relaxed vibe. Shawbridge st.
Secret Garden Cafe ~ Veggie and Vegan Cafe with a nice outdoor terrace. New Market Street.
Tiger Lounge ~ Restaurant and Drinking venue on Whalley Road. Has a special menu just for pampered four legged friends. Large outdoor terrace, dogs welcome inside too.
A beautiful Secret Garden guest ~ Photo from the Facebook page.
Toms Table ~ French Inspired cuisine and afternoon teas. Lovely sun terrace. Dogs welcome before 6pm. Lee Carter House, Off Castle Street.
3 C’s Cafe ~ Hot drinks, Cake & Ice cream in the newly refurbished cafe by the former bowling green in the grounds of Clitheroe Castle.
Hugo at 3 C’s Cafe.
Violet’s Deli ~ Coffee and Deli bar with comfy sofas. Castle Street.
PUBS AND BARS. Clitheroe has many a pet friendly pub or bar. We are very lucky. �?��?�
The Ale House ~ Town centre Micro pub serving cask ales and bottled beers. Market Place.
The Beer Shack ~ Craft Beer bar specialising in craft beers and ciders. Charcuterie boards and beer snacks served too. Also opening mornings for coffee & cakes. Semi covered outdoor area at the back. King Street.
Bowland Beer Hall At Holmes Mill ~ For the Real Ale fan, the Beer Hall at Holmes Mill has 42 Cask ales on tap and has lots of original features from its industrial heritage , including a huge steam engine. Serves Bar Meals. Greenacre Street.
Pizza and cocktails at Escape
Edisford Bridge Country Pub ~ Country Pub on the outskirts of Clitheroe. Small indoor area for eating with your dog. Lovely beer garden too. Good food and perfect for river walks.
The Emporium ~ Elegant bar and restaurant with dog friendly ground floor. Moor Lane.
Rose and Crown ~ Town centre pub that serves Bar Meals. Castle Street.
SauceBox ~ Small but perfectly formed Craft Beer and Cocktail Bar. Moor Lane
Station Lounge & Rooms ~ Newly refurbished food serving pub. And newly dog friendly too. King Lane.
SMSJ ~ Old Schoolroom ~ Attractive bar with Big Screen TVs, Pool table and spacious yet snug seating areas. Bar Snacks Menu. Lowergate.
Old School Room.
White Lion ~ Popular Town centre pub with flagged floor and large heated beer garden area at the rear. Market Place.
Thank you for reading my Dog Friendly Clitheroe Post. Please respect any places you visit with your dog and keep doggies on a lead. Also please double check before you enter a venue with your dog. �?��?�?�
So off we headed to The rugged Highlands for part two of our Scottish trip. En route to Gairloch we made a detour to Torridon in the hope of a spot of lunch. This gorgeous coastal settlement was having a sleepy Sunday though, absolutely nothing was open.
What’s that emerging from Loch Torridon? Oh it’s Hugo….
We did finally find an open roadside cafe at Kinlochewe. Refueled , Wil drove along the A832 to Gairloch. From here it was a good coastal B road through crofting hamlets Aultgrishan &Melvaig. Then the road peters out and becomes a 3 mile long winding track with skinny bridges to cross and 2 gates to open. . It was quite a hair-raising journey! At the end of all that our home for the next 6 nights came into view…
Our Accomodation.
Rua Reidh Lighthouse.
Rua Reidh Lighthouse is a fully operational lighthouse, which features two beautiful apartments in the former Lighthouse Keepers Quarters. Our accomodation was on the first floor, so lots of big ocean views. The walls were wonderfully thick, you could never tell if it was blowing a hoolie outside. Stepping outdoors was usually rather bracing. I did regret not packing a wooly hat!
Staying somewhere so remote is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. But once your holed up with a wee dram and a copy of ‘Kidnapped’ by Robert Louis Stevenson , there’s no better place to be. 😊
A public footpath passes Rua Reidh and its possible to walk down to the flat stone jetty, where materials to build the lighthouse were delivered by boat in the early 1900s. The buildings, courtyard and headland are exclusively the owners, and for guests to enjoy. It was nice to huddle up on the wooden deck chairs with a brew and watch gannets plummet oceanward for their supper.
Sheep at Rua Reidh.
Some Gairloch Faves.
It was a careful 40 minute drive from our lighthouse base into Gairloch, a pretty community that straddles a Sea Loch, Loch Gairloch. For that civilization fix, there are shops, cafes, a pub, golf course, heritage museum and a campsite in the town . Here are some of my favourite places to pop by.
The Gale Centre ~ Tourist info, Community centre, cafe with ocean views & gorgeous gift shop.
Mountain Coffee Company & Hillbillies Bookshop ~ Quirky Coffee Shop with attached book store.
The Little Green Shop ~ Hand crafted & locally designed gifts.
The Old Inn ~ Friendly Inn with seafood specials and scenic location. Their Cullen Skink is to die for.
Sands Caravan & Campsite ~ The campsite has its own fab sandy beach ‘ Big Sands’ which non campers can use if they call in at the lovely barn cafe on site. Also, there are Highland Coos. 😊
Gairloch Beach ~ Another smooth sandy beach with an attractive mountainous backdrop.
Hillbillies Bookshop, delicious Cullen Skink at The Old Inn, Gairloch Beach & Highland Coo at Sands Campsite.
My absolute favourite spot in Gairloch has to be the ‘ Sitooterie ‘ on Pier Road. This colourful harbour side community garden is the perfect place to sit with a hot drink from nearby Coast Coffee ( Thurs-Sun only) and watch the working fishing boats, pleasure boats and wildlife in the harbour.
The Sitooterie, Gairloch Harbour.
The attractive harbour is also from where various boat trips set out from, an absolute must if your visiting Gairloch. We loved our excursion on Alice The Glass Bottom Boat and were lucky enough to see both Grey & Common Seals and a juvenile Golden Eagle!
Alice ‘ The Glass Bottom Boat’.
Gairloch Walks.
For me August was the perfect month to visit the Scottish Highlands because the heather was blooming in all its vibrant purple glory. Of course my photos don’t do it justice, take my word for it though, it was stunning.
A scenic walk from the car park between the harbour and The Old Inn took us up The Flowerdale Glen , a picturesque woodland trek with tumbling ( though not dramatic) waterfalls , wooden walkways and rocky paths.
Flowerdale Glen & Waterfall.
Another more demanding hike that we did was from Rua Reidh Lighthouse. You can walk along the undulating cliffs from Rua Reidh past impressive sea arches and hidden coves. Eventually you may find ( as we did ) a secret walkers bothy, from where to take shelter when the heavens undoubtedly decide to open. 😊
Clifftop Walk from Rua Reidh Lighthouse. Sea Stack, Bothy visit, Innes Ireland Memorial & Camas Mor Beach.
The bothy was well stocked with everything you might need if you were planning to stay the night. I noticed amongst other things 2 packs of playing cards, instant noodles, teabags, an axe and a jar of Marmite…
Quite nearby , looking towards the secluded Camas Mor Beach, is a memorial stone to ‘ Scotland’s First Formula One Racing Winner’ Innes Ireland. Apparently the Yorkshire born former military man with the Irish name moved to Scotland when he was 2 and made his mark in F1 in the late 1950s, early 1960s. A huge character, he loved this very remote corner of Scotland.
Russian Arctic ConvoysWorld War ll.
Twenty minutes drive from Gairloch, another Sea Loch has an interesting wartime history. Loch Ewe was from where brave merchant mariners and the Royal Navy transported arms & materials across the ocean to Arctic Russia during World War ll.
Arctic Convoy Memorial, Cove.
The Convoys were not just under constant attack from German aircraft and submarines ( 104 allied merchant ships and 18 warships were sunk) , the treacherous ice, cold & storms played a part in hardship and death at sea. It was no wonder then that Winston Churchill described their mission as ‘ the worst journey in the world’.
At its wartime peak, some 3000 military personnel were deployed around Loch Ewe. Seeing the ships setting out must have been a daunting sight for locals going about their business in their rural farming & fishing communities.
Arctic Convoy Silhouette Cove, Gun emplacements Cove, Loch Ewe from Aultbea and Russian Arctic Convoy Museum at Aultbea.
In recent years The Russian Arctic Convoy Project has lobbied for recognition of the areas unique contribution to the war effort. A driveable trail around Loch Ewe now uses storyboards & Silhouettes to paint a picture of those incredible times. And the intimate Russian Arctic Convoy Museum at Aultbea is definitely worth a visit.
Other Places Visited.
Wester Ross has rugged mountains, charming fishing villages, freshwater lochans and salty sea lochs. So much to explore in just one trip. Yep, we will have to return. For now, here are a couple more places we loved.
Badachro ~ This former fishing village sits in its own sheltered bay overlooking Loch Gairloch. We came here for a lovely lunch at The Badachro Inn which has an enviable position looking out over the loch. Near the inn is a cute cabin gift shop called Latitude 57 and a few miles outside of Badachro there is a small family run distillery.
Badachro.
Poolewe ~ Situated on the shores of Loch Ewe, Poolewe holds a popular craft & farmers market on Tuesdays and is home to the famed Inverewe Gardens, which were impressive, though very midgy on our visit. We enjoyed hot drinks in the quirky billiards room cafe at Pool House and went for a rainy walk along the heather strewn banks of the River Ewe.
Poolewe.
Part 2 of our Scotland trip was spectacular! Next we left our lovely west coast lighthouse and travelled East to Boness & Falkirk. Part 3 coming soon….
As time goes by Vintage By The Sea, Morecambe’s annual celebration of all things vintage & retro, is going from strength to strength. I last visited the festival way back in 2015, so feeling a bit vintage myself now. 😆
The town is looking bright & breezy, this homage to nostalgia ( we Brits love our nostalgia! ) is really in keeping with Morecambe’s beautiful seafront, much of the action taking place in and around the elegant & curvaceous Art Deco Midland Hotel on the promenade.
I visited with friends today ( the first Saturday in September) , this free family friendly festival continues tommorrow. And I’m assured it’s going to be another gorgeous Summers day in Lancashire….
We ended our visit with a quiet drink in nearby Heysham and a wander up to the Rock Cut Graves by St Patrick’s Chapel, that featured on the cover of a Black Sabbath album.
Formed in 2009, the Archive Team (not to be confused with the archive.org Archive-It Team) is a rogue archivist collective dedicated to saving copies of rapidly dying or deleted websites for the sake of history and digital heritage. The group is 100% composed of volunteers and interested parties, and has expanded into a large amount of related projects for saving online and digital history.
sunshine and celandines 
