Wednesday 4 June: we’ve arrived at Crewe, by rail, to catch the sleeper to Inverness. We’re much too early, but delay (or cancellation) of the later train would have spelt disaster. So there’s time to kill: let’s see what can be done (while admiring the smart new red paint on the stairs!) with a hand-held camera and a high ISO setting…
The sign at Kilmaluag points to Aird, which is where I’ll start. The path – now a part of the Skye Trail – leads across rough grassland, past the cemetery (Cladh), through the old settlement at Dunvannarain and on to the west coast clifftops, with great views to the north and west – from the little island of Trodday, the Shiants and the long island of Lewis and Harris to Skye’s northernmost tip at Rubha Hunish. I won’t be going out there today – instead, the seat just below the bothy (a former coastguard station) provides a wonderful view of the sea and the islands. It would also have been an excellent spot to nibble a piece of tablet – but I’d left it behind… Only slightly flawed perfection!
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=142459&Y=875853&A=Y&Z=120
I have to be in Uig this afternoon (a shopping trip!): I’ll make the most of the short journey with a walk up to the headland above the bay, to see the ferry (the MV Hebrides, or Innse Gall) arrive and depart. It’s a fine bright afternoon; there’s a cool breeze but at the tip of the headland there’s a comfortable little rock seat, which provides shelter and a great view of the pier. There are corncrakes down below in the grasslands and there’s a cuckoo somewhere nearby – but there’s no-one else around (I don’t think the visitors in their cars, struggling to avoid each other and the truly appalling potholes, will have heard them. Their loss!). This is a perfect place to idle away an hour.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=138250&Y=863793&A=Y&Z=115
Friday 6 June: The morning should stay dry; we could have showers in the afternoon (we didn’t…). A morning walk should be pleasant, if rather cool. I’ll follow the very quiet road from the village hall, up through Heribusta, past the cemetery and museum (quite a few visitors here, on the short walk to Flora Macdonald’s grave) and back down the main road. The latter is surprisingly quiet too. Not complaining…
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=139450&Y=871025&A=Y&Z=120
Thursday 5 June: an evening wander. The observant will already have noticed that the visible wildlife is none of the above… The hare was silent; posed for one quick photo then hurried away. But along the rough lane to Monkstadt, the silence of a still north Skye evening is profound. The cuckoo was over to my left, towards the hill; down towards the shore a curlew bubbled. Then the sound I’d hoped I might hear, a distinctive “creak creak, creak creak” that accompanied me back towards the start. “Come out and listen!” (No photos – audio only!)
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=138235&Y=867930&A=Y&Z=120
Summer comes to Shirlett: a short wander along the lane. The wild rose is in bloom, the pink of the petals whitening as they open. There’s honeysuckle too, and speedwell – and buttercups by the thousands. Summer’s here, I think.
View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365720&Y=298280&A=Y&Z=120
First of June by the Met. Office’s reckoning… There’s certainly plenty of summer colour in and around the walled garden at Attingham
Lots of colour and variety in the hedgerows at this time of year.
Cardiff Castle! Tuesday 20 May – a visit to the Welsh capital, and on this occasion, we’ll take a look at the castle. It’s quite a place! In particular the interior of the 3rd Marquess of Bute’s mansion, paid for by the south Wales miners and the sales of the coal they dug, is quite astonishing. Can’t help thinking that the lives of those human moles could have been improved if the wealth generated by the coal had been spread just a little more evenly. The castle is now owned and managed by Cardiff Council.
Castell Caerdydd
Cardiff Castle
Sunday 25 May: Hereford – for the waterworks museum and miniature railway. The museum has “Steam Days”, twice a month during the season, coinciding with the public running days on the miniature railway. We’d thought about a visit for some time: today the time and weather seemed right.
The museum’s real fascination lies in its collection of water-pumping engines of several types, operating for demonstration purposes on steam days. The sight and sound of all these engines is mesmerising! The miniature railway operates on a satisfyingly complex layout (there’s a map on their website), with several trains running in a way that maximises that complexity. Great fun!
Waterworks Museum, Hereford
Hereford Society of Model Engineers
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