A yacht sails by past cow(e)s…

Today’s forecast is cloud with some partial sun at 7pm – whoohoo!  It comes to something when such a small concession to fine weather can lead to this response.  The truth is that this area of Scotland is unbeatable in sunshine but can get slightly depressing in rain – and there seems to be a lot of it about in the forecast for the next week – unfortunately.  The lovely thing about Bessie’s position at the campsite is that we can see all the passing shipping without moving – including this three-masted schooner, still to be identified.

Anyway, blog post written in the morning, we headed off for the Community Centre for soup and a roll and an intention to publish there.  Apparently Thursday is club day for the oldies (although we technically come into that category we never count ourselves in their number!) and the cosy room where we had coffee and cake yesterday is out of bounds for their get-together.  Instead we are ushered into the main hall which acts as a gymnasium and fitness centre.

The internet signal is weak in here but the lady in charge was very good and checked the router.  It was flashing so she re-started it – bingo!  Fed and watered, we started the trek over the moorland out to Sanna Bay.  Met the usual sheep along the way which, of course, simply had to be photographed.

 

Peter was most vexed by a new house being built – it had a crooked roof!  He could think of no apparent reason for this.

Still a bit early for the forecast sunshine at 7pm, we parked up and read/painted for a while until about 5.30pm when we set forth across the dunes to find the beach which we had visited when the children were little.

A gale was blowing but we went prepared.

Down on the beach the sea was beginning to change colour and it was beautifully sheltered from the worst excesses of the wind.  We tried to assess where we had sat 38 years ago (why didn’t we bring those photos with us?) and made a rough guess.  The sea was beginning to change colour and, yes, the gods of meterology were actually with us – the sun was coming out!  There followed a mad rush with the cameras.

A small fishing boat passed by in the distance.

Things got even better when we spotted some wildlife.  Two Oystercatchers stood on one of the rocks (determinedly with their backs to us) while the waved crashed against them.

Peter caught sight of a smaller bird who landed briefly beside them – a little Ringed Plover.  Then, best of all, my personal favourite, the diminutive dainty Dunlin, appeared on the sand.  Things were certainly looking up.

We spent a good hour down there before wending our way back over the machair, watching the Meadow Pipits doing their song flight.  Everything seemed to be on the move, including the sheep and lambs.  At least we can enjoy these gorgeous creatures without shame this year – ever since our last trip to Scotland and the Western Isles we haven’t been able to face eating lamb.

 So, more cute photos…

The moorland looked a treat in the warm glow of early evening:

…and another first for us – a Stonechat sitting on a road sign.  Not a good photo through the windscreen of Bessie but at least identifiable.

Just to make our sheep heaven complete, sheep and lambs appeared as if from nowhere

 

 

 

 

– this brown lot made me die as they came charging over a hill:

…and what about these two shy beauties?

A Cock Pheasant with a couple of girl friends finished off our day beautifully.

Typically, what started as a miserable looking day turned into one of the best.  That’s Scotland for you!

PS. The three masted schooner in the featured image is the luxury yacht, Adix.