....since I last posted 3 months ago, it got colder, almost-but-not-quite snowed for Christmas and New Year came and went amid a flurry of resolutions for the new year. A wonderful week was spent in Edinburgh (one of my favourite cities), embarked on many day trips and local hikes, chased abandoned castles and mansions and just recently returned from The Highlands where the sun shone for the entire week, no-one could believe it! Especially in the middle of winter - it was wonderful! I have not missed my aussie summer in the tropics at all!
And in a few short days we'll be heading off down into England for a few days.
Only 6 weeks until I return to Australia.
enjoy some of the highlights of the past 3 months....
January
some views are more breathtaking than others
with every ruin worth exploring
seashell pathways
red reminders of the past, I'm surprised to see them at almost every turn
17th Jan and the first real snows arrive in the south west
taking a hike is mandatory
a little taphophilia most weeks
disused doo'cot
I fell in love with Scotland's harbourside villages
follow any path and it will take you to something, usually amazing
like this...
February - Edinburgh bound - stop, let the guys sort it out
no winners or losers - a stand-off
taken from atop Calton Hill, Edinburgh
really loved Holyroodhouse with its attached abbey ruins
the lady of the house wasn't in today and disappointingly didn't invite me to tea
...when in Edinburgh a day trip to visit Britannia and the Forth Rail Bridge is a must
perhaps if I sang they would bring me my supper
overlooking part of the city from the Castle
this establishment was ..... unexpected ..... the cat's rule for sure!
cake please? just forget the rules for a minute ok?
a few crumbs would do if you don't mind - no-one's watching
so many great pubs to have a rest and some nourishment
such a sad tale .... almost too much for me
passing Glasgow (still on the to-do list)
February
a beautiful day and a nice circuit walk around the village and a peek at what was going on at the local cattle mart... some ladies were being tidied ready for the lambing season I'd say
much tidier
viaducts - amazing feats of engineering
time to soak up some more glorious countryside and hunt down the elusive Kenmure Castle
home via beautiful Loch Ken
just love these bridges
lots of waterfalls but my camera doesn't pick them up very well at all - time for a new one?!
lovely Kirkdale Estate, its gardens and old walled garden - open for Snowdrop Festival
and a working mill nearby
taphophilia strikes often
time for a jolly good hike in the forestry
...loch frozen over - it was freezing!
always bring the essentials - hot coffee and strawberries and pretend your hands aren't frozen
and a couple of days later another gorgeous local hike
meeting up with previous 'blog friend' now personal friend 'Nellies' from the Netherlands who I first met via her fabulous NYC blog when living there. Some of you may have been followers of her blog as well. Isn't it amazing when 'blog world' becomes 'real world'.
The whole weekend she was here we had TWO ONLY HOURS of sunshine.
.....human sheep magnets
I'm still editing photos from our trip into The Highlands so stay tuned for a 'special', but in the meantime . . . . .
HAPPY BLOGGING
from spring-has-sprung Scotland
