Edinburgh Castle
The end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile
Saw our first shinty match
With Finnlay and Heather at their chocolate company
Our Scottish church family
Our favorite glen
Coming into Arnisdale on Glen Shiel
Lodge where Ian Fleming wrote some of his early James Bond novels
Fleming's view across Loch Lourn to Knoydart, the most remote part of Scotland
Ready for a getaway
Sound of Sleat, looking between Knoydart and Skye
Through the sheep-proof gate to the next pasture
Lambs wool on the hoof
Finished cutting enough firewood to get through the winter
The road to Carn à Bhealaich Mhòir
A six-mile hike on the craigs
Peninsula behind us is where we are living
One-of-a-kind location
Walking to Neist Point Lighthouse on the Isle of Skye
The Outer Hebrides in the background
Rock hopping to the shoreline
Watching the waves crash ashore
A cliff walk for a different perspective
Up where the brave sheep graze
Neist Point Lighthouse from above
Watched the sun set on the west side of Skye...
...and the moon rise on the east side
Can't have too many shots of the Cullins
Ran into the Highway Patrol
Not sure this guy could even see us
Walked via the coast from Duirnish to Drambuie
Dodging the storms
Missed the rain but caught the rainbows
Endless flowing water, near Sligachan
Cold wind off the North Atlantic
Always time for another castle visit
Plenty of family compounds in the Orkneys...but no trees
Lighthouse on its very own island
Walkable when the tide goes out
Sea stained rocks
Skara Brea, mysterious settlement from 3180 BC
They had to be hearty people.
Watch your step.
Best room in town
Second best room in town
Safe streets
Pulling out of the harbour...
...past dramatic cliffs
Wonder what they're burning in their fireplace?
Roadside goats
Back in familiar territory
About as far as you can go without a boat
A ferry would be better.
Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands
Typical Orkney view
Typical Orkney village
Communication corner
The Orkneys have a Norse history.
The Italian Chapel, built by Italian POWs during WWII
Every bit hand crafted and painted
The cathedral in Kirkwall has a different ceiling.
No painting required
Lost sheep
Ring of Brodgar, Neolithic henge
Maybe 2500 BC
Didn't get to Shetland, but they sent us some ponies
Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness with no monster in sight
Five Sisters, at the entrance to Glenelg
Stone-fenced sheep farm in the glen
Barracks built in 1722 to house English soldiers...
...to keep the Jacobites Scots in check
Telve Broch, community homes of the Picts...
...built between 400 and 200 B.C
On Bealach na Bà, highest auto road in the UK, not for the faint of heart
At the summit, viewing the Cuillins over on Skye
God's handiwork in winter
What your Christmas tree is supposed to look like
Finally in Applecross
A table by the fireplace to warm up
Remote Ard Dhubh
In dry dock for repairs
The competitor
Endless coastline to explore
These guys are everywhere!
Shieldaig
A church from our past
The weaping tombstone
The view from Gairloch
Evening sun to guide us home
"My heart's in the Highlands a'chasing the deer." - Burns
You know you've been accepted by the locals when they ask you to play in their pub band.
On the road to Elgol
Arrived at the farm...
...in time for a surprise snowstorm
Clear on the coast where the mayor of Elgol greeted us personally
Elgol primary school on the edge of the sea
Waiting for the fog on Sgurr Aladair to clear
A view worth waiting for
The mountains followed us home.
A scene from Psalm 23
The Allt Dhiuirinis cresting in the town of Duirinish
Red Cedar, high above Loch Carron
Red Cedar needles
The road to Ardaneaskan
The remains of Strome Castle (circa 1470) on the opposite end of our loch
Strome, home to Clan MacDonald, was besieged by Clan MacKenzie in 1602
Sunset over the Isle of Skye from Ardarroch
Early morning through the skylight
With Ossian and some of the locals for a celebration
Losing the battle of Culloden was a turning point for Scotland.
The Memorial Cairn and the Well of the Dead
The Highlanders right flank
Drummossie Moor where many died
The Scots fought by clans.
For Outlander fans
A house on the battlefield
With new friends Richard and Fiona on their croft
Yes, there are hens that lay blue eggs.
Highlands Soay Sheep are self-shearing.
Examining the shed wool
In the Cuillin Mountains
Trying to catch up to my guide
Following the runoff
A place to read Psalm 19
Maybe a swim
The Fairy Pools
Heading toward the saddle
The Old Man of Storr
Peaceful valley
Not lost, just looking
Portree from the harbour
Chimneys by moonlight
Dunvegan Castle, ancestral home of the McLeod Clan
The Hobbit's other house
It's for sale!
The first to arrive
The cemetary outlasted the church.
Roadside waterfall
Time for church
A high position in the community
History disappearing
Inverness, the capital of the Highlands
Trying to figure out pub philosophy
Highland hot chocolate (no whisky involved)
Winter wonderland
On the trail to Coral Beach
The beauty of the outdoors
Coral Beach
Coral Beach "sand"
Looking across to the Isle of Skye
Shopping locally for eggs
For my son-in-law the weatherman
Hold my calls
Just above freezing
Snow on the longstraw
Snowy palms this morning
Another dusting at dusk
Checking out the back yard
The sun breaks through
Please, Hon, can we keep him?
My Highlands partner
Our kitchen
Our living room
Our cottage on Loch Carron
View from the front yard
Looking down our lane
Downtown, from the dock
Ours is the last on the left.
Every Scotish village needs a castle.
A chilly morning in the neighborhood
On our way over to Duncraig Castle
Hoar frost on the trail
Duncraig, built in 1866
Nearby Eilean Donan Castle is much older.
Often misty and always mysterious Glencoe
Portree, on Skye, just before dawn
Always thinking of family (Thanksgiving 2023)
