Moseying

Thursday May 11

Having completed yesterday what we'd planned for to-day, we explored the north east coast. Some of it a duplicate of the previous two days, some different. Pam loves the road from Dervaig to Salen, we started with that. The Salen garage was packed, one fuel tanker delivering , a queue at the other station. Could we manage to get to Fort William to-morrow? Yes.

Arthur had made a small diversion towards Knock Bridge to show us a magnificent display of bluebells in the woods. We did the same with a further excursion to see what - if anything - was happening at Knock Bridge to keep it closed for this long. Two men working, one with a manual roller. So much conjecturing as to what exactly is going on. Arthur's story seems the most believable. They are strengthening the small hump-backed bridge in order to make it suitable for the heavy lorries visiting the fish farm. A queue of parked cars nearby must belong to the people in the houses on the other side, they're allowed to walk across.

I never think that I do justice to masses of Bluebells, their deeply saturated blue colouring in particular. The sun was back to-day which helped give some depth between the shadows cast by the ancient trees.

Arriving at Loch na Keal, we parked in the spot where a White-tailed Eagle had flown overhead. No such luck to-day, the Lady Jane was not present to tempt with fish. Next stop was where the masses park, very near the nest. Only half a dozen parked vehicles to-day, scopes and long lenses trained on the nest.

Five minutes later, a bird left the nest and circled to gain height before heading off up the loch. I was not fast enough in getting out !! Then, my automatic focusing system wouldn't - and there wasn't time to switch to manual focusing. A mild ''Don't panic Mr Mannering'' moment.

A change of parking place to beside a tiny rivulet where there were several wild flowers growing.

Primroses

Water Avens

What a flotilla. What had the little one at the back done to deserve relegation from parent Canada Geese protection?

We had lunch in the Goldies' spot, minus the eagles. The entertainment  was watching a group of canoeists kit up, then carry their kayaks 200 metres through rocks, sand and shingle to the shore. One of them forgot something and had to return.........Half an hour later, they were off. All boating activity seems to take forever to get ready. I don't remember that from my canoeing days, I didn't have all that specialist kit for a start.

The area has some little black sheep thought to have been brought to the Hebrides by the Vikings. Their lambs are very leggy, looking rather goat-like, hard to believe that they become small compact sheep.

Truly wild Red Deer inhabit the lochside fields far below the road, none are farmed here. They are hefted to the area i.e. stay where they were born. A good look to see that no traffic was coming, then Pam stopped in the middle of the road so that I could quickly take some photos.

We took a very B road indeed back to Dervaig, very uneven, rising to high barren moorland. A scenery we both find compelling. After a stop for a read, we made for the White-tailed Eagle's nest across the valley from here. One bird standing on the nest again, no sign of the male perched nearby. 
Back to Calliach for the last time. The Highland Cattle were well scattered with a couple of bull calves nearer to the road.

Pure luck. I was holding my camera when a group of Curlew was startled into the air from behind a nearby rock. I got one shot.

We wouldn't stay at this B and B again. Lovely house, a mansion with huge well kept grounds, spotlessly clean and furnished with Scottish antiques. Betty, the owner is lovely too. But... the bedroom is exactly that. No TV. very iffy WiFi, one packet of 2 biscuits between us, smoked bacon, breakfast starts at 8.00, heating not on until 8.00 p.m. and then off for the night. Getting picky with age, we need comfort and what we like.
Off to Skye for one night in the morning.