Lots of space

I think you should all come to this beach. It is absolutely wonderful and the colours and scenery very special

Here it is and here are the directions. Follow the highlighted yellow road on the left hand  side of the map up to the yellow blob at the very top of Scotland to a place called Faraid Head.

You won't be disappointed 

Follow a sandy path through the dunes

and down on to the beach

whichever way you look

the sand sea and sky fill the space

At times the camera couldn't find a focus point, I used the black dot on the sand (my husband) who was a handy fixed point - when he wasn't moving!

Breathtaking. There were black headed gulls and terns flying overhead and little birds that looked like swallows but without the long tail - we thought they might be sand martins. 

Although it was overcast the light was bright and the colour of the sea almost turquoise in places

The beach is flanked by enormous sand dunes

the highest in Scotland I read

At the start of the walk sits Balnakeil House and near it just through the car park by the gate 

this old ruined church. You can't miss it. I'm assuming you'll come by car, or coach, or bike, or even on foot  (it's a long walk) you will, in all probability, come through the car park and you'll see the church on the other side of the wall.

On our homeward journey from Faraid Head we followed the road round the shores of loch Eriboll before taking a sharp right hand turn and following the smallest of single tracks  overgrown with grass, to reach the second yellow blob on the map.

Dun Dornaigil Broch. A picture of how it was and how it is now. An iron age broch some 2000 years old. 

We came upon it by chance on the banks of the river Hope. I really recommend this detour home. A twisty winding track. I'm sure you'll love it too. We drove for miles and didn't meet a single car - which was just as well as passing places were very overgrown, but the scenery was beautiful. We saw deer, rabbits and pheasants and birds that were too quick for us to identify.

We got home late and had a well deserved cup of tea. A day full of sea and sky and staggeringly beautiful landscapes - as you'll see when you take the tour!

Seeing double

It isn't often the opposite shore of the loch is reflected with such perfection. Absolute calm, absolute stillness.

Ground Control

A decision has been taken. The gate has been opened

and a controlled and supervised entry of sheep into the garden is taking place!

They think they've gone to heaven. They sink into clouds of buttercups

but even after an afternoon of fine dining

they make little impact. To be fair there were only two of them, Mother and son (or daughter) who seemed unable to believe their good fortune in chancing upon the open gate into sheep's paradise! 

I have done some strimming. But it's quite hard work and although our record of sheep in the garden has 

always ended in disaster ie. sheep are unable to distinguish between nice Surrey pot plants and a few old dandelions, we've decided that if we watch them in a carefully controlled manner we can supervise what they munch on!

I don't want them munching on this. This is the tiny, tidy bit of garden

It isn't grand as herbaceous borders go - it's more a herbaceous patch

but I feel I created it and I feel possessive about it and don't want it munched around the edges

 the sheep would tuck in with enormous amounts of enthusiasm! 

In the meantime they seem happy with never ending borders of creeping buttercup and dandelions

For those of you who've followed this blog for a while, you'll remember Lamb Chop who sadly, I suspect, ended her days in a tin of pet food

 

I did love her and vowed when she went I wouldn't ever treat a sheep as a pet again - but it is difficult and despite how they all apparently look alike they do have their own personalities and peculiarities, and I've come to realise they aren't have as daft as  we like to think they are.

Ardmair bay my cardigan - and the model!

Ardmair bay, just north of Ullapool,  is so pretty at this time of year with it's shore carpeted in thrift. The weather carries on being reasonable, and although some days are overcast, we haven't had rain for what seems like an age and the garden, such as it is, could do with a real good downpour!  Further north they have been fighting moorland fires.

I've finally finished knitting my cardigan, seen here on the lovely Jo. She didn't want me to post this picture on here as she is fighting the effects of glandular fever. She looks the picture of health but is worn out and exhausted with constant sore throat and nausea. She asked me to point out she is wearing her pyjama trousers and shortly after this was taken, went back into the house to lie down. She went home last month only to return again a week or two later to rest. She wants to get on with her life and return to work but everyone says she needs to rest. She'll get there, she's a fighter and very stubborn! Meanwhile she's asked if I'll knit her a pullover!