Snowy views of Skiddaw....

A couple of walks out from the house in the snow today to try and catch some views, but it kept snowing! Finally though Skiddaw did emerge and there were brief glimpses of Criffel too.

Snow flurries on the Solway ....

The sun came out .....

Cracking views.....

....and a happy dog! 

Saligo oil painting, Islay

The afternoon we spent on Saligo at half term (Tuesday 13th Feb), was indeed spectacular and I loves the winter colours. Here's the photograph and the oil painting - which is 113cm x 70cm. The only problem now is storing it while it dries!

Ice patterns on the beck

When setting off for High Raise today I was delayed by these lovely ice crystals on the beck....

and by these icicles on the way back ....

Kidsty Pike - Rampsgill head - High Raise - Low Raise circular walk.

We were so lucky to have sunshine and remnants of snow on a weekend again! We parked at the top end of Haweswater and walked round on the path across Riggindale Beck; then a steep ascent up over Kidsty Howes and then on over Kidsty Pike and onto Rampgill Head. Stunning views and relatively warm too....until you got onto the top when, according to an online windchill calculator, it was a biting -13 degrees celsius! Lovely to see two different herds of red deer too. Good views of ravens and a lovely view of a vertical plummet by a peregrine. Some good patches of snow and ice.

Path markers and walls by Haweswater....

Views up Riggindale and back down Haweswater ; the pack horse bridge over Randale Beck.

This is actually two pictures ....the top is the whole herd then the bottom the stag on his own. 

Superb views; from Rampsgill Head - bottom right looking from Low Raise to High Raise.

Binsey - tree silhouettes

It's so nice to be able to get out for a late afternoon walk , after school, and for it to be light! Blew the cobwebs away with a quick walk up Binsey by the main path and returned back via the less trodden path that overlooks Bassenthwaite.

Views over Overwater, Bassenthwaite and Skiddaw.

Hawthorn silhouettes.

.....and Rocky! 

The Old Crown - Hesket Newmarket

The prints are dry and today has been spent hand-colouring.

Butterfly textile cards ....

Well after a fantastic week on Islay it's back to the 'day job' ...well evening job in reality!

Green sea urchins ....

This is a photo that I put on facebook on my arts page: Julia Garner Arts, it's had some good comments and a few people have commented in person today as to how they liked it. When on Islay I picked these up on the strand line between Bowmore and Gartbreck ....there were lots more! Just thought I'd share it ...

Rocky's holiday ....

and who had the best of times on Islay? .....as always ....

Portnahaven for a week ....

We normally stay in Portnahaven for the half term week ....and what a week of weather it was! I didn't get photographs of the hail!

Sleet and snow ...

High winds ....

Foam after the gales ......

The calm .....

The sun ......

Portnahaven seals

As the waves and wind subsided and the sun came out, the seals returned to their rocks at Portnahaven.

Islay hares

...a few photos of my favourite...hares on Islay.

...and the most common view! 

Golden eagles on the Oa, Islay

After our visit to the Singing Sands we set off in glorious sunshine to the Oa - while walking the circular walk distant views of eagles, but as we drove down the road on the way back we spotted a pair in the distance so we pulled over and they dutifully flew straight over us - fantastic.

Dramatic scenery .............

The American monument .....

Superb stock .........

Golden eagles ........(Yeh!) 

The Singing Sands, Port Ellen.

Our last day of the holiday and what a beautiful day it was! Walked round to the Singing Sands and had a good view of two otters fishing at sea - no pics though. Also lots of goat kids at the back of the beach and just generally stunning views.

Everybody was out sunning themselves after the week of cold and sleet
....hooded crow, oystercatcher and rabbits. 

Barnacle geese in flight.

It was good to see so many barnacle geese when walking from Bowmore to Gartbreck. Fabulous inspiration for design.

Bowmore to Gartbreck, Islay

A good walk out along the coast - parked up in Bowmore and then along the beach to Gartbreck - always easier walking at low tide. Lots of shells have been washed up after the storms and many small green sea urchins too.

...and, as always, Rocky had the best of times. 

The guaranteed otter walk, Islay

...and on our thirteenth time the walk held good with cracking views of an otter fishing and eating. It was rather a challenging walk in that we had snow, sleet, rain and hail backed by a fresh wind and it was damp underfoot. The rewards well worth it though. We parked at Ballygrant and walked down to the Sound of Jura through the Lossit estate. The 50 mph winds that were battering Islay from the west were more subdued in the shelter that the land afforded....part of the reason for choosing this walk today.

General views - lichen clad trees on an island in Loch Lossit and the Sound of Jura 

Such a priviledge to spend five minutes observing this otter. 

Portnahaven - round walk ...and some bird highlights from the day.

Views over Portnahaven

Having arrived back in Portnahaven still in waterproofs from the morning on Machir Bay beach we decided to go 'round the block'. A shortish walk out along the road to the north and then back along the coast and through Claddach. Male hen harrier, roe deer, hares and spectacular waves.

Iceland gull - Ballinaby; curlew - Gruinart  and greater black backed gulls - Claddach.

Scaup at Bowmore

Machir bay in a gale.

The forecast was for 50 mph winds all day with sleet showers, so we headed down to Machir Bay. It was certainly windy - even for Islay, and sand shot across the beach to the level of a couple of feet. Waves were blown in further and the sea rampaged. Needless to say very few photographs were taken!

Machir Bay this year as compared to last year - below.