A long way to the Uists

So, off to the Uists, taking a ferry from Mallaig ...or so we thought! With bow thruster problems for the MV Lord of the Isles, it looked as if we were going to depart from Oban. However a last minute change of plan, from Calmac, meant a longer drive to leave from Uig, on the Isle of Skye. If we'd known earlier we could have made plans - but we didn't so a 1am start from home it was. 

Glencoe sunrise...beautiful.

Thankfully it was good weather and the drive a cross Skye was astounding - seeing several of the classic views that one day later, will have disappeared under cloud and rain. 

Looking across to the Quiraing. 

The Black Cuillins from Sligachan corner - it's a while since I was up Sgurr Nan Gillean - on the right.

Am Basteir and its tooth.

The Old Man of Storr shows clearly.

Looking back to Skye.

As we passed various bits of islands, a 'Superior Mirage'. Note the strange form of the islands in the background. This is where light rays are bent as there is a change between the density of the warm air to the cold air above the sea. We saw better examples -I didn't realise it was a 'thing'.

And a couple of stops on the way to our pod at Balranald.....Redshank on a post.

Daisy field.

Sandy fields ...

..and blue, blue sea. 

Hodbarrow in the heat

On our way to a family bbq, on the bank holiday Monday, we stopped off at Hodbarrow RSPB reserve to see the Terns. It was an incredibly hot day, so the heat haze made it difficult to take good photos....

Walking along the coast to the reserve.

Male Eiders on the sand.

The reserve and predator fence. The Lakeland fells beyond.

Bird's-foot Trefoil.

Dingy Skipper.

Northern Marsh Orchid.

Plenty of activity!

Eider Duck creche.

Keeping cool...

Little Terns - in the foreground.

Sandwich Terns with a Mediterranean Gull - with its white-ringed eye and bright red beak. 

Teesdale Flora

As promised a few more pictures from last weekend...

Butterwort.

Spring Gentian.

Milkwort.

Globe Flower.

Mountain Pansies ...and below.

Bird's-eye Primrose.

Alpine Bistort.

And moving on up to Cow Green.....Mountain Everlasting.

Spring Sandwort.

Plenty of Bird's-eye Primrose...

..and couple of white ones.

Teesdale Pilgrimage

We  always like to go to Teesdale in early to mid May, but we were away this year, so we didn't get over until the Whitsun bank holiday weekend. We knew that the Spring Gentians were fabulous about three weeks prior, so we were pleased to find one perfect one fully out, ironically at a lower altitude than the more abundant ones at Cow Green Reservoir. A splendid walk and Rocky even manged the Cauldron Snout scramble - we just avoided the one really 'bad step'. A more plant-based blog follows...

Still the house I would like to live in! 

A lucky find - a Spring Gentian still out.

Globe Flower with the Whin Sill behind.

Marsh Marigolds.

Spot the tiny dots of the many Mountain Pansies.

Bird's-eye Primrose.

Alpine Bartsia.

Looking back down the Pennine Way from Falcon Clints.

Falcon Clints where we saw the pair of Ring Ouzels.

Cauldron Snout...

...and proof that Rocky managed it, with Cow Green Dam in the background.

Our final morning

A final early start, (not for the locals after Bulgaria had won the Eurovision Song Contest last night). We headed back to the marshes before catching our flight home. What a superb holiday! The company we went with was Heatherlea, based in Nethybridge. They organised all the logistics including pre and flight hotels, flights, transport - a dedicated Bulgarian driver who was excellent, a Heatherlea guide and a local guide - both of whom were brilliant. All meals were included and everything went swimmingly - until of course we got near home and there was a points failure at Penrith! There were 10 in the group. I couldn't recommend Heatherlea more. Anyway a few final pictures ...

Montague's Harrier.

Toothed Orchid.

A visitor!

Wryneck.

And then we were off....

Over Sofia...