Bonny Scotland, why holiday anywhere else?

[mikeriach]

We had a week up in the far north west which is one of our favourite places. Quiet little gems of beaches, quiet roads, friendly natives, stunning scenery (if you get the weather). We were luck as the rain essentially stopped on the Saturday night, Sunday was overcast and the rest of the week sunny, it even got to 20degC one day. For a long time I've wanted to visit Cape Wrath and we luckily chose Janets birthday to do it with glorious sunshine making it teeshirt walking weather, though at the Cape it was rather breezy requiring the coats.
I hope you enjoy the samples below.

Our favourite beach at Balnakeil


The Seychelles? The water really is that colour at Balnakeil.


The trip to the Cape starts in the "ferry" which takes 4 people plus the ferryman, apparently he's waiting for an engine for the bigger one! He's been doing this for 30 years come the end of this year.


A local Kirk


A local Post Office


It's a place to heal the soul and just chill out, can't wait to go back again.

Mike

[Birma]

Fabulous series Mike. I haven't payed the North coast enough attention and these pictures really rub that in! Balnakeil looks lovely, and I could stay on that beach in no. 2 all week I should think that day light hours were pretty long? Did you give the A99 a good work out?

[Omega892]

The Seychelles? The water really is that colour at Balnakeil.

Mike

Yes, I quite agree about the colour of that water. I have many similar shots taken from beaches on the road south of Mallaig that was back in 2008 will be visiting again soon hopefully, depending on health.

Nice shots there Mike, in particular that first one.

[mikeriach]

Didn't take the A99 as at the time I didn't have a wide for it. These are all A77 shots.
But next time......

Balnakeil is superb, very shallow gradient so the water just laps the shore gently. The white sand goes out quite far hence the turquoise sea. Late evening cloud cover meant no sunsets but maybe next year.

We just love the west coast, Skye in the future as I'd love to try for some Eagle pics.

Mike

[sury]

Great set Mike. I never associated Scotland with tropical beaches. By the way, what is a Kirk?

Sury

[mikeriach]

Sury,

The water might look tropical but I can assure you it was freezing cold as we had a paddle in it. 2 minutes was more than enough!
I guess the gulfstream isn't running our way (like the jetstream).

A kirk is a Scottish work meaning church.

Mike

[Dr. Harout]

Superb set, Mike.

[jbtaylor]

I think of stone whe I think of Scotland.
Good work.
JT

[Omega892]

Here we are then Mike, a view West from a beach near Glasnacardoch just South of Mallaig, Alpha 100 and Sigma 14mm EX

[caporip]

Mike great shots. I share your love of the area and it looks like you were very lucky with the weathe! I am surprised just how many abandoned buildings there are in the highlands generally but maybe shouldn't be given the history.

Was the beach a proper beach i.e with sand? The reason I ask is there is this beach on Skye which is formed from dead coral. Quite why it accumulates on this spot is anyone's guess.:-

[sury]

Another good one Mike.
Richard, is it possible to post a larger size?

Sury

[mikeriach]

Lionel,

Glad to see some other folk have photos of the spectacular west coast beaches.
Birma has posted quite a few Hebridean ones in the past few years.

You've just given me another reason to stay west coast bound.

Mike

[mikeriach]

Richard,

I'm sure I once read that years ago Scotland was attached to the USA and was much more tropical than it is now so I guess it is entirely feasible that ancient coral deposits could have accumulated. The "sand" at Balnakeil is very white so could be either shells or coral I suppose. We need a geologist!

Mike

[Omega892]

Richard,

I'm sure I once read that years ago Scotland was attached to the USA and was much more tropical than it is now so I guess it is entirely feasible that ancient coral deposits could have accumulated. The "sand" at Balnakeil is very white so could be either shells or coral I suppose. We need a geologist!

Mike

The geology of the far west of Scotland on a diagonal almost parallel to the great Great Glen, that fault which runs Inverness to Fort William, but running further West from Loch Eriboll down including Sky, Coll and Tiree and the Hebrides (thus on a line approximately NbyE - SbyW) collectively forming the Hebridean Terrane has much in common with a that of a large chunk of Eastern Newfoundland. Richard Fortey's 'The Earth: An Intimate History' explains things well.

[mikeriach]

This forum is a mine of information and not just about cameras.

There is an information board on the east shore of Loch Eribol which explained by the 2 sides of the loch have different rock types but I couldn't remember the full details. It also explained the ships names spelt out on the shore by the RN crews.

Thanks,
Mike