East Neuk

26 Oct: Staying in Edinburgh for the weekend – how about a trip to the fishing villages in Fife? We’d been to St Monans before, but not to Anstruther or Pittenweem, just a mile or two further east. The sun shone for about five minutes, perhaps less – sunlight on the attractive buildings around the picturesque harbours would have been good, but at least it was dry and bright. The views across the Forth are extensive, with Arthur’s Seat and the castle clearly on view to the south-west, while the cement works near Dunbar (not quite so picturesque) is marked by a plume of steamy smoke east of south. There are good refreshments to be had too…

Anstruther

 

Pittenween

 

St Monans

 

Long Mynd in October

We’re into the darkest four months – there’s little sunshine in the deep valleys of the Long Mynd, but it’s great on the top, given a decent day – and this was a decent day. In fact it was much better than that – bright (and directional) sunshine, clear air, a cool breeze – what more could one ask? The night’s rain was rushing down the valley below the Light Spout waterfall, but the paths on top were generally good – just the odd soggy corner…

I walked to the highest point of the Long Mynd, at Pole Bank, then headed back along the ridge south of Townbrook Valley to descend on easy grassy slopes. A bank of cloud had been sitting stubbornly over the Mynd for the last half-hour or so, clearing (inevitably) as I dropped into the shade of the hills.