A Day Off

We had the day off on Sunday, and in the afternoon went with Robin to see the Falls of Kirkaig
situated in the Inverpolly Nature Reserve which at a guess is some 20 miles to the north of here. We came here first one very warm July day in 2005, with the intention of climbing Suilven, a wonderful almost comic like shaped mountain, similar to an old fashioned police man's helmet that rises up out of the middle of no where in a vast and empty landscape. We must be the only people who set out to climb Suilven who missed the turning up to the summit! Instead we trekked on for ages past the mountain in very hot sticky weather with all the horse flies in the highlands for company before giving up and retracing our steps back to the car!

On Sunday our mission was less intense and we took an altogether more leisurely pace. Primroses grow in amazing abundance here, and where you see primroses you often see

this little chap as well. A tiny delicate blue flower that wouldn't stay still for the photograph.

This is a better example. Are they violets? I really don't know, except they are very tiny

This little beetle wouldn't stay still either, despite being told he could feature in my blog, he couldn't get away quick enough and by the time I'd found the macro setting on the camera he had all but disappeared into the undergrowth.

The Falls of Kirkaig.

It was possible to climb down to the waters edge which we did, though it was very rocky and at times difficult to get a foot hold. There is a rope tied to a metal bar at the edge of the pool presumably to pull your self out of the water if you should fall in - fortunately we behaved ourselves and didn't!

Gorse grows everywhere, just like in parts of Surrey, although I don't remember it smelling so sweet there. The scent it gives off reminds me of coconut ice, a sweet I used to like when I was a child.

All this nature and walking and stuff, it's time to head to the pub! We went to the Kylescu Hotel and had a meal. I've played around with this photo of Robin. Very strong light coming in through the window left him as a dark outline that you couldn't see. I'm a huge fan of photo shop. For me it's the best software on the planet. Its possibilities endless. Here I've taken out the colour while leaving the drinks as they are.

On the way home the sun was setting. Like many people I have a camera with a variety of different functions and settings. Mostly, in spite of all the choice, I turn the dial to 'P' and simply click. I've had this camera for 4 years and must have taken thousands of photos (and deleted thousands too!) I still need to learn how to use it properly though! Taking pictures into strong light produces very strong contrast. Sometimes this works sometimes it doesn't. I'm sure there is a setting somewhere on the camera to adjust for this. These photos of the sun setting though needed no adjustments or tweaking.

Suilven