1 EAGLETON NOTES: Dunkeld

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Sunday 28 June 2015

Dunkeld

CJ and I are in Dunkeld (the local website is here) in the gateway country to the Scottish Highlands. We are staying at the Royal Dunkeld Hotel. I've stayed here a number of times and CJ and I stayed here a few years ago, or so we decided. In fact it was in May 2009.  Where did the intervening years go? Or more appropriately where did the years that we couldn't account for go?

It's a very good and welcoming hotel made all the better by the excellent and accommodating mine host, Neil. (YP it must be something to do with the name!).

There is something about Dunkeld which has always attracted me and it is unusual for me not to stop when I'm going down the A9 (though less often when going up and usually have a ferry to catch).

Whilst CJ was having a rest after the journey I went for a walk and went to the Dunkeld Art Exhibition which turned out to be enjoyable and fruitful. 

After dinner I walked over the old Telford Bridge (built over 200 years ago with its beautiful views (this one is to the South).


There I found a lot of Black-headed Gulls 



who seemed to think that any person crossing the bridge was carrying food for them. They have sight we could only dream of and within seconds they had left the bridge snd descended on a young lady with a take-away box of food down by the river. They mobbed her and she dropped it and fled.



Tomorrow CJ and I and the Nighthawk have a relatively easy day going to Ullapool for the late afternoon ferry over to Lewis.

23 comments:

  1. I thought that I liked sea gulls, but..that reminds me too much of Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" which played on Turner Classic Movies channel which had started just before I left for Mas.. Needless to say that since I watched it when it came out, I never ever will watch it again.

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    1. I've never seen The Birds Norma but I don't think I'd enjoy iy. I have never liked horror movies.

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  2. BTW it's nice to hear that you're spending time with your brother. Enjoy yourself. As always, I enjoy the photos you share of your surroundings.

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    1. Thank you Norma. With CJ here for a while I should spend more time catching up with friends' blogs as well.

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  3. Beautiful birds. Wonderful pictures. But then......that picture of them attacking the young lady and her lunch reminds me of the velociraptors on the loose in the new Jurassic World movie that I saw with my son this weekend. Yuck!

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    1. Mrs Thyme you are very up to date. Ive never even heard of a velociraptor and I didn't know there was a new Jurassic movie. Mind you I never saw the first one either.

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  4. Have a good crossing. Don't forget to check the furry times.

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    1. Oh dear Adrian. The first thing I did when I read that was go to the glove compartment (why is it still called that I wonder?) and check the booking. All was ok.

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    2. PS Adrian I'm sorry about the burn-out over-exposure on the gull's feathers but I had one brief chance and that was it.

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  5. Oh that poor girl, she must have been terrified! Great shots of the predators. Hope you and CJ enjoy the rest of your time together.

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    1. Thanks Pauline. As for the young lady someone 'rescued' her and she ended up photographing the gulls trying to get at the remains of her meal.

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  6. Great view from the bridge! And those gulls simply do what gulls are supposed to do... I guess it happens all the time there, and the girl - unless she was just a passing tourist - should not have been surprised. Better for her, anyway, not to have eaten the takeaway food ;-)

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    1. Meike I think she must have been a tourist. As you said anyone living there would be wise to the likelihood of that happening.

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  7. Oh that poor girl. Gulls can really be a nuisance when they gang up like that. I prefer them before the learn to fly, then one stands a chance ;) (referring to my own recent posts about young ones) I'm glad to hear you two brothers will have a bit of time together again. 2009 was the year I started blogging and also got to know you both! :)

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    1. Monica when I had an enforced stay in the hotel in Morecambe a few nights ago there were baby gulls on the roof below me but my cameras were still in the back of The Nighthawk so I was unable to get any pictures of them

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  8. Glad to know you're both on your way. Hope the rest of the journey is uneventful (in a good way).

    That poor girl! I've never been mobbed by any kind of bird, but it does not look pleasant.

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    1. Helen it didn't look very pleasant I have to admit. We are now safely ensconced in Tigh na Mara. I think your Dad will blog again soon.

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    2. That's great news GB. I'm sure it will do Dad good to get away. Hope you both have a lovely time together, xx

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  9. Sounds as if the two of you are having a wonderful trip. xoxo DeeDee/Carol

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    1. DeeDee we had a good trip and CJ is already ensconced chez Tigh na Mara.

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  10. Oh my goodness that's like a scene from a Stephen King horror movie..what awful birds.....poor woman.
    Glad you were able to get your vehicle fixed in a timely manner and be back to your road adventure.
    Have fun with CJ!!

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    1. Thanks Virginia. I think that she probably had quite a surprise!

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