Monday, 13 December 2010

The Bone Caves

Yesterday we walked up to the Bone Caves near Inchnadamph, in Assynt. The snow has nearly gone - for the moment at least
We left our walk until late, the sun begins to set now at around 3.30 in the afternoon but, I think in doing so we saw the caves at their very best
Standing in the mouth of the mountain looking out at the setting sun throwing the hillside opposite into such  contrasting colours of light and shade  
I could maybe get just the tiniest feel of how early man might have felt as he looked out at his world governed by night and day, dark and light, the sun the moon and the stars. To stand here and gaze up at the stars would truly be amazing.
The days are very short now, and the nights as black as black. I noticed again when we were down in the south  how the sky at night  (in Surrey at any rate) is never completely dark, the sky at night has a grey glow. In some ways it makes star gazing easier. Here the night sky is so full of stars it can be hard to itentify them
 We hurry back down to the car. I'm happy to be a cave woman during the day, but at night time it somehow feels less fun - a warm house and a comfy bed seems more the order of the day!

5 comments:

Lucille said...

Those colours seemed to be all on the same plane like a stunning tapestry. Will you see the Geminid meteor showers tonight? Thought to be at their best at about 2a.m or at least after the moon sets!

annie hoff said...

The colours were incredible - to me the whole hillside looked like a water colour. I'm going to try and wake up in the early hours and go outside to see if I can see the meteor showers. I've been looking out of the window this evening. It's very dark out there.

S. Etole said...

Your photos are always amazing ... you live in a world of beauty.

Mac n' Janet said...

Wonderful photos! Particularly the one shot inside the cave looking out. With the name Bone Caves I'm assuming that remains were found in there at one time, any idea of dates? Fascinating thinking about living in a cave.

annie hoff said...

There were people in the caves at around the iron age, some 700 years BC. Bones belonging to bears wolves lynxes and Arctic foxes have been found. There is uncertainty in the dates but the animal remains were almost certainly from a time when the climate in Scotland was very much colder.

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