Saturday, 4 June 2016

#30DaysWild - June 4th 2016

#30DaysWild - day 4.  

I had to go to Lochaline straight away having got off the Turus Mara boat at Ulva Ferry yesterday afternoon. We just made the 6.10 ferry and I dropped Daughter and friend off for the party the were going to.  I spent the evening with friends - we had Cockle Vongole using cockles they had dug on the beach near their house.  (delicious) 

I was woken by a cuckoo sitting in the trees very close to the bedroom window. It called incessantly from 4.15am until after 7am when I finally got back to sleep!   That was a wild way to start Day4, but I failed to get a photograph of him. 

After breakfast, and before I had to pick up Daughter and friends, I drove out along the Drimnin road.  The verges are ungrazed and abundant with fresh lush grasses, vibrant patches of Red Campion, Bluebells and Buttercups.   A carpet of Sea pinks along the shore are bright against the rocks.   Patches of Wild garlic (Ransome) are flowering in rich clumps of startling white.  Quite pungently beautiful!  

I stopped for a while to soak in the view.  This roundel of Beech trees has caught my eye before so it was good to stop this time.  Something special to me about roundels of trees in the landscape, an almost spiritual place.  It was so quiet and peaceful, the warm air filled with birdsong.  



Back to Day 3...

Harp Rock.  

We saw Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Common Shag in varying abundant numbers.  










I don't remember the Bluebells being quite so abundant here, and so vividly blue.  The Sea pinks were numerous, huge clumps.  Everything looked so alive and bright, despite the dry weather. 



I loved looking over a sea of Puffins and seeing Rum in the distance.






Leaving to come back to Ulva Ferry, we passed Fladda, and the Carnaburgs.



This is the Carnaburgs with Treshnish Point behind.  I loved seeing Treshnish from the water.


Carnaburg beag and Rum.