15th April

Just a quick note to Pete who no doubt is miffed by the lack of geological input into this blog. Today was another Torridonian Sandstone day, so there.

Today I did a walk at Stoer, from the lighthouse to the Old Man of Stoer, a seastack about  2 miles up the coast. The walk itself was very easy and boy did I need an easy day after Sandwood Bay. I am still trying to recover from the ordeal. This walk was along a rather muddy cliff top track with great views of the ocean and all those lovely waves, which were just what I was looking for. By using a neutral density filter on the camera I can use a longer exposure and capture the wave movement. I call them 'smulched' waves and such photographs are, to my mind, more moving. Ahem. I talked in an earlier post about photographs that have movement. The route back involved an ascent to a low hill called Little Fairy Hill (ooh, what a quaint name) followed by a walk along a wide partly dry path that seemed to peter out well before reaching Leigh's tea emporium and left me waist deep in a downsucking peat bog. I managed to grab onto the horns of a highland bull who graciously pulled me out. Thanks Hamish!

The weather was wonderful once again. I can't believe this. It's been 5 days now. Feels more like I am having a vacation in Turkey or southern Australia. There are plenty of clouds around but for photography that is just perfect. The day started off bitingly cold and I am pleased to report that this was a 4 layer day. Yippee! Finally got to use the Icebreaker sweater as well as the other stuff. I was warm and then my toasticity factor went up even further when I started to ascend Little Fairy hill. 'Toasticity' - that's another fabulous word. I should patent it.

Let me also just say that I will never again complain about the road from Lochinver to Stac Polly, or Stac Pollaidh as the Scots like to spell it in order to confuse us. The road beyond Clachtoll rapidly degenerated into a rabbit track that even the local sheep tried to avoid. There were lots of blind rises on roads only slightly narrower than my car and I thought my life was over on more than one occasion. If it wasn't for the fact that this is the trip of a lifetime I would have to say NEVER AGAIN!

Had my massage this evening. Almost woke up at one point but managed to doze off again. I expect my back to be in fine shape for whatever I decide to do tomorrow. It's all weather dependent of course. Will the sun shine or won't it? Tune in again tomorrow to find out!

Quinag before the snowstorm. By the way Pete, it's made of Torridonian Sandstone.

Quinag after the storm - and it's STILL made of Torridonian Sandstone only colder

...and this is the stuff that covered the ground at 6.30 this morning. Like little hail stones.

Early risers near the hotel

...and on the subject of wildlife, it's lambing season in Scotland! aw, wook at the widdle wammie.

and this one is an adult wammie - just kidding!

and this particular specimen of the local wildlife is neither local nor wild. This is Leigh (I think). She runs a blessed tea and bacon sandwich shop (amongst other delights) at the point of Stoer parking lot. As Spock said in a Star Trek episode many years ago, "live long and prosper". you can see from the way she is dressed that the day, although yet again sunny was f*****g cold!

I saw a lot of these on this trip.

Passing Place

and finally, at long last we get to a photograph of the whole point of today's little jaunt into the frozen world that is Stoer Point. In the far distance is the Old Man of Stoer (it's that little needly rocky thing) with some smulched up waves in the foreground. I love that word (smulched). It sounds like something that the Mr Whippy ice cream man used to serve on hot summer days.

Just because you can't get enough of them (I know you can't) here are some more smulched waves.