A tradition lives on at Johnshaven

We recently visited the Mearns village of Johnshaven during the annual NEOS Arts festival. the Mearns is characterised by red, fertile earth so evocatively described in the novels of Lewis Grassic Gibbon; and a rocky, exposed coast. Fishing still forms an important focus for the village, these days augmented by the numerous artists who have made the area home.

I mistakenly referred to Johnshaven as being an Aberdeenshire village - I'm very grateful to Clark Simpson of the Johnshaven website for the following local knowledge:

"Unfortunately everything south of Aberdeen is now being considered to be in Aberdeenshire. But "Aberdeenshire" as far as the Mearns is concerned is purely an administrative area. Historically and socially the Mearns has no connection at all with Aberdeenshire.The accent is different, the history is different and the culture is different. If anything Johnshaven is nearer in many ways to Angus. When you cross the North Water Bridge there is a sign "Welcome to Aberdeenshire - Historic Kincardineshire". This was a compromise on the part of the local authority where there was a reluctance, stubbornness even, to acknowledge that south of Aberdeen was in Kincardineshire and there was a long fight at the time of the last re-organisation of local government fully to keep the name. A partial victory was won but none of the media any longer refer to Kincardineshire".


Near the harbour slipway was a fine example of another art.





This fishing boat was being built next to the slip. It's a traditional clinker built craft, and the strong shape of the bow made a striking sight against the blue sky. The form of the forward part of the boat seemed to contain echoes of longships from across the North Sea with it's graceful line. The stern was something of a contrast, squared off to mount a strong rudder.



The first coat of paint was in progress when we visited, the colour in some ways seemed to echo the red earth of the Mearns. I'd like to have learned more about the boat, but there was nobody at work on it during the time we were in the village. Outside the harbour, a very similar boat was working creels; a handy craft perfectly designed for purpose.

An unexpected opportunity

During a recent visit by my ship to the Clyde, I was able to paddle with two colleagues in the evenings after work. This was Stuart's first time in a sea kayak - the smile says it all!



We had fairly settled weather on both evenings; almost windless on one side of the Cowal peninsula and breezy on the other side so that we were able to find sheltered conditions for leisurely paddling. This was taken on the paddle back to Toward Point after a welcome pint.




We rounded Toward Point on both evenings. The light was built by Robert Stevenson for the Clyde Lighthouses Trust in 1812. The beam from the light shone into the bedroom window of one of the houses we lived at in Bute, but this was the closest I've seen the buildings.



We had a nice sunset on the second evening, a good finish to an unexpected opportunity to share a paddle with friends.

Kinlochbervie Caribbean

A few kilometres to the north of Kinlochbervie (which is itself north of pretty much everywhere in the British Isles) is the stunning beach of Oldshoremore.

A short walk from a small car-park leads over the dunes to reveal this view. The beach is about a kilometre long, and there's another, smaller beach just visible around the headland. Here there are no ice cream vans, hotels or beach "facilities"; only a small toilet block at the car park.

This photograph was taken on a sunny June weekend. We shared this beautiful beach with just four other people during the afternoon. The white sand sets off the aquamarine of the water to perfection, water which is absolutely crystal clear.

Just like the Caribbean?

No - this is much, much better

The Road To Nowhere?

This road sign can be found in a quiet part of Aberdeenshire. It's particularly well secured to the post because, unsurprisingly, it occasionally goes missing. The road leads to an art gallery, then peters out to a track.

I'd like to be able to write something meaningful about this photo, but all I can say is that the road sign makes me smile every time I see it!

An Teallach

It's been four years since I was last on An Teallach (The Forge). The Gaelic name perhaps comes from the view of Toll an Lochain with the sun shining into it, when it glows a gorgeous warm red-brown.

This iconic mountain rises above Little Loch Broom in the Northwest Highlands, and is surely one of the grandest hills in Britain. The day these pictures were taken was my third attempt to climb the two Munros of An Teallach. On the first two occasions there was high wind and rain; a bad combination on the exposed summit ridges.




I finally managed to climb the hill on a May day of sultry and humid heat. The route up from Corrie Hallie was a sweaty slog until the shoulder below Sail Liath where a slight breeze was welcome. The scrambling across the Corrag Buidhe pinnacles is sensationally exposed but not difficult - the view down to Loch Toll an Lochain (loch of the hollow of the Lochan!) from Lord Berkely's Seat is breathtaking, not least because of the overhang of this large pinnacle




I couldn't resist including this boulder in a picture - it so resembles a pair of buttocks! Sgurr Fiona, Lord Berkeley's Seat and the Corrag Buidhe pinnacles are all visible. The Torridonian Sandstone was bouncing back the warmth of the sun, and I got back to Dundonnel with a fair glow on my face from the heat of the Forge. What better way to round off the ascent than a bottle of An Teallach ale?

Four years is too long - I must revisit this superb hill again soon

Craigievar Castle

This is Craigievar Castle, close to where we live. Over the past two years, the castle has been undergoing major restoration work. The most visible sign of this is the re-harling work in the pink colour so charateristic of Aberdeenshire's castles. Craigievar, like many others, is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, and though the Trust has had it's difficulties in recent times with mountain properties, they are unrivalled at looking after built heritage. The work has been completed despite some real financial issues at NTS, and I think that it is a stunning restoration. Aside from the external work, a great deal of internal work has been carried out.





These photographs were taken in mid-May, with the Spring flowers still in bloom. The early morning sun shows the castle to best advantage, and it's easy to see why it is claimed that Walt Disney gained inspiration for his fairytale castle from this style.

Craigievar was completed in 1626 by William Forbes, known as "Danzig Willie" for his trading links with the Polish city. The links between the northeast of Scotland and Poland continue to the present time, and the Forbes name is still common locally.

A Leisurely Day on Loch Linnhe

On our final day in Ardgour, we met up with Simon and Liz and their friend Kate - who is also taking her first steps in sea kayaking. Loch Linnhe was chosen for a short paddle in relative shelter; the views across the loch to the Glencoe hills and Beinn a'Bheithir were a bonus.




We set off down the loch at a leisurely pace. It was good to just be experiencing the simple pleasure of moving along the shoreline with no pre-determined goal.

The ebb was revealing skerries where we practised turns and paddle strokes. No formal instruction here; rather "try this and see what happens to the boat". Watching Kate and Dave relaxed and increasing in confidence added a lot to the day. As we were moving slowly, Common Seals came to investigate us at close quarters - another experience which we sometimes take for granted, but a novelty for Dave and Kate.





We stopped for lunch at a nicely situated beach inbetween rain showers. Out came various flasks and stoves for brews as well as a range of fruit, cakes and other treats. The advantage of a kayak for storage was clear!





With five different kayak models from four manufacturers in our small flotilla, there was a chance to try other boats. The P & H Cetus proved particularly popular with everyone who paddled it. Simon and Liz have done a big trip in Ceti, and really rate them as expedition boats. Dave was very enthusiastic about it's stability and comfort and I really enjoyed a short paddle in it. Very manoeuvrable for an expedition boat, and I felt that it edged very well.

All too soon we returned to the cars and started packing up; our ways home were fairly widely separated. It had been a really pleasant paddle, made all the better by the obvious enjoyment of our two new sea-kayakers.

The last paddle for me for quite a while as I'm now at work for several months, and this was a great way to round off.

A Contrasting Day on Beinn Resipol

The day after our paddle on Loch Ailort, we climbed Beinn Resipol straight from the campsite. As we'd taken a car down to Strontian the previous evening, we were able to traverse the hill from Resipol to Strontian. If traversing, we'd recommend this way around rather than Strontian to Resipol.

Lower down our route followed a gorge through woods of Oak and Birch before breaking out onto the open hill. The going is a bit boggy, but the hill is full of interest. The top part is a rocky tower with scrambling opportunities. We chose a route and followed entertaining but never difficult scrambling right to the summit (845 metres). This picture was taken on the broad east ridge as we headed down. Once again a Corbett proved the equal of most Munros in quality.

The weather high on the hill was a succession of wintry showers, whereas low down we'd been in warm sunny weather. A complete contrast to sunbathing on a white sand beach the previous day - the variety of Scotland!




Between the showers the views were a kaleidoscope of colour and form.

To the west one has the widescreen view out into the Minch, to the north the length of Loch Shiel leads the eye to the Glenfinnan hills whilst to the south Loch Sunart winds below the hill. In a way, the coming and going of the visibility added to the views, as each time a view was revealed it was different.

It'd been far too long since Dave and I had been on the hill together, but what a good day and a good hill.