🗁Added 11 photos to album Misc visits.
To Arbroath for Marine Mammal Medic training, then some time exploring and eating chips.
scotland (16 out of 47)
- Returned from Arran.
- Swam in the sea. Alternating grey and braw days. Not that they grey isn't also braw, on an empty beach at 5am.
- Made carrot cake at the Community Kitchen and rhubarb/banana muffins at home.
- Long work days.
- Oyster mushrooms are starting...
- Falkland adventure.
- Much blog catchup.
- Finished A Deepness In The Sky. Started Surface Detail.
- Garden catchup.
- Lots of work to get ready for new Co-op people starting. Also we're still hiring developers...
- Swam in the sea.
- Went to Arran.
- Hiked around the east and north of Arran; to the south along the east coast; parts of the south and west coast; to Lamlash again.
- Returned from Dunoon via a ferry and a wander in Gourock.
- Finally got the Operations and Admin Officer, and Management Accountant Co-op jobs live.
- Got my head back into improving Co-op governance.
- Made a coconut almond cake with blackcurrent glaze, and brownies.
- Crocheted some gifts.
- Planned a trip to Finland.
- Felt generally exhausted and quite headachey all week.
- Finished Lilith's Brood and started Fevre Dream.
- Then H came to visit and we walk-swam-kayaked to Wemyss and back, ate pizza and watched a Liam Neeson movie, and had brunch in Edinburgh with Dave.
- Second February swim. High tides.
- Did my best to facilitate around some difficult interpersonal dynamics in the Co-op.
- Made pear cobbler and fancy truffles at Community Kitchen.
- Visited J&F&E&E in Falkirk and worked on the crochet sea turtle but didn't finish it.
- Enjoying Lilith's Brood, though some of the things the humans do are far more alien to me than the things the Oankali do. But also many aspects from the stories are working their way into my dreams quite severely.
- Hung out with Maud and Jess and K.
- Visited Dave in Dunoon. We climbed Bishop's Seat, visited Loch Eck and ate lots. Completely failed to see the northern lights despite being in a northern location with perfectly clear skies and low light pollution... because I went to bed early.
Aberdeen to Shetland ⟿
Leaving Aberdeen, Scotland at 5:30pm (+01:00) on Sunday the 25th of August 2024 and arriving in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland at 7:30am (+01:00) on Monday the 26th of August 2024
Ferry to Dave! Smooth sailing, cabin upgrade.
🗁Added 14 photos to album Misc visits.
To PotFest in Scone for K's birthday, then a drizzly garden bbq.
🗁Added 8 photos to album Glasgow & Helensburgh, Aug 2023.
A trip to Linlithgow market, mainly to eat delicious food from The Tiffin, but also to enjoy the lovely weather by the lake. Lowenna turned up eventually, but not long before I had to leave.
On to Glasgow to see The Ocean at the End of the Lane in the theatre (my first ever theatre trip!) and then a magnificent fancy dinner with F and M.
🗁Added 19 photos to album Glasgow & Helensburgh, Aug 2023.
A trip to Helensburgh to visit J and family. A very wet day, got soaked multiple times over. But in between managed lots of nice food and frolics.
Week in review: 29th May - 4th June
Post created with https://apps.rhiaro.co.uk/no-ceremonies-are-necessary
Week in review: 22nd - 28th May
Post created with https://apps.rhiaro.co.uk/no-ceremonies-are-necessary
🗁Added 13 photos to album Arran, May 2023.
Another hike to Lamlash, via a different inland route. Found a community woodland/orchard, and R finally hit upon agates. I had lunch and read/wrote at The Drift Inn again by myself. Staff were exceptionally kind, and found vegan mayo to go with my croquettes and mac-n-not-cheese, and a vegan chocolate for me when I went to pay the bill. I stuck my head in the Old Pier Cafe; they had some vegan stuff, but it was cramped and busy.
I returned by bus, and read on the beach.
🗁Added 61 photos to album Arran, May 2023.
Some clouds provided a bit of relief from the sun, but still a beautiful day. We took the bus to Whiting Bay, then walked from there to Kildonan. We weren't sure if it was accessible along the beach the whole day and ended up doing quite a trek along a road which wasn't ideal.
From there we bussed to Blackwaterfoot, and finally managed to hike to the King's Cave. We found a fossil dinosaur foot/handprint and some excellent rock formations, and beautiful views.
We did a circular route which, once again, was longer than expected. We marched to Shiskine for the last bus back to Brodick.
🗁Added 23 photos to album Arran, May 2023.
R went off for one final rock hunting trip on his bike, and I wandered into Brodick. Finally got to Wooley's Bakery, which had an astounding amount of vegan options, sweet and savoury. I started with an excellent sausage roll and a brownie, and bought more things for the journey home.
Posted a postcard, cleaned up our campsite, and read and wrote on the beach until R got back. Then we headed for the ferry back to Ardrossan, and three trains home.
🗁Added 30 photos to album Arran, May 2023.
Max and I had a restful day to ourselves while R went off on his bike to look for rocks. We started in the Little Rock cafe in Brodick and.. stayed there reading and writing and eating for a while. Finally we got our act together and set out south around the coast, towards Lamlash. Another glorious day, and another beautiful rocky path.
The next stop on the food tour was The Drift Inn, which had several great vegan options. I had a cracking Beyond burger with melted smoked not-cheese in a pretzel bun. It was perfect, and the location was gorgeous too.
We returned via an inland route, across some hills and through a bit of woods. Then spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach.
🗁Added 62 photos to album Arran, May 2023.
Awake for a glorious sunrise on the beach.
We took the bus to Corrie, then walked along the coast to Sannox, checking out various interesting rock formations. We stopped for breakfast at Mara Deli, which was really delicious - kedgeree with crispy tofu, and excellent coffee. They have banana blossom tacos too which I was sad I didn't manage to return to try. A lovely outdoor location with a sea view, and dog-friendly.
From Sannox we took the bus to Lochranza, then embarked on a far more substantive than expected hike over the hills. It was very glorious. Max met a boxer dog called Betty who wanted to affectionately punch him in the face over and over, and he wasn't sure what to make of that.
When we finally made it to the coast, by Laggan Cottage, I read on the beach for an hour while R went off to look for fossils. Finding none, we continued, only to discover the fossils had been in the direction we wanted to walk all along.
The return route around the coast was beautiful too, a bit rugged, and I was running on fumes. We were absolutely knackered by the time we made it back to Lochranza, in time for the 5pm bus.
We got off in Blackwaterfoot, on the west side, having had the original plan to explore there as well. But we were too tired, and just waited for the next bus back to Brodick.
We got very excellent sourdough pizza (with king oyster mushrooms) from The Parlour in Brodick, as well as nice sorbet, and ate it on the beach.
🗁Added 32 photos to album Arran, May 2023.
Tuesday evening departure for the Arran adventure. We caught three trains to Ardrossan, then camped on some empty scrub near the port.
We awoke at sunrise for the first ferry to Brodick. A bad night's sleep - as the first night in the tent usually is - left us feeling pretty heavy, so we had a slow day. We first pitched the tent in some woods up a wee hill. It was a good out of the way spot, but it was very midgey. Subsequent scouting - after a very good breakfast at Little Rock - yielded the beach to be a much better location. We relaxed at the (very interesting) Arran Heritage museum for a while. I had a nice cup of tea and a vegan cinnamon swirl, and wrote and read, while R and I took it in turns to visit the exhibits and chill in the garden with Max.
Then we moved the tent to the beach, though were beaten to the best spot by another very smug camper by about 5 minutes.
Midges were less persistent because of the breeze, but still around, so Max slept in the tent (after what happened last time). He loves it.
Week in review: 27th Feb - 5th March
Post created with https://apps.rhiaro.co.uk/no-ceremonies-are-necessary
🗁Added 38 photos to album Dunoon, Feb 2023.
I walked the hour from Dave's place to the Dunoon ferry port, around the coast. It was a greyer, drizzlier day. After lunch in town, I took the ferry to Gourock. I had enough time to climb a hill, then back to the station for a lift home with T.
Week in review: 20th - 26th February
Post created with https://apps.rhiaro.co.uk/no-ceremonies-are-necessary