Who could ever have dreamt that a simple comment by Pauline on a blog back in heaven knows when could have led to the safaris that Pauline and I have undertaken and the friendship that has ensued. However all good things come to an end and in this case the seven day safari (but not, I hasten to add, the friendship) was over almost as suddenly as it begun when I met Pauline off the plane in Inverness. It was a glorious Sunday. Pauline was to leave on the Monday for her brother's 'down South' (of England not Down Under) and then for more exotic parts of the globe. I had to leave on the Sunday afternoon for a hospital appointment in Ayr first thing the following morning.
So I thought I would show Pauline Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. The sky was a bit hazy when we arrived (along with hundreds of other people) but after a while the sun broke through and cleared the mist away and it was actually very warm: a perfect end to the safari.
It looks like a really well maintained site in spite of the wear and tear I would imagine from the elements over time. Have you and Pauline pencilled in your next safari together?
ReplyDeleteCarol I'd love to think that we have but the dates for my next trip to NZ are far from certain at the moment.
DeleteWhat a grand day you had. It makes all the difference to the place.
ReplyDeleteAdrian you more than most of us know what a tremendous difference the weather makes to our experience of the world around us.
DeleteI've only ever seen this place on telly. Your pictures show it from a different perspective. It's interesting to see it with other people about - although by no means crowded.
ReplyDeleteThe number of coaches and cars there makes one wonder where all the people went Meike. On the whole it wasn't crowded except in the café and shop and, presumably, the cinema room.
DeleteLooks like a wonderful place to explore - but requiring quite a bit of walking, including stairs (which once upon a time would not have worried me, but more recently it might) Reminds me I should get back to blogging the rest of my own holiday pictures from summer. Well I guess there will be time enough for that soon, when the autumn leaves have fallen to the ground!
ReplyDeleteMonica I was wondering what had happened to the rest of your holiday. Because I've been tooing and froing I wasn't sure if I'd missed something but I have tried to keep up to date. It's taken me ages to finish the safari posts so what's the hurry?
DeleteCan I pinch the shot of me trudging up the steps, please? I've started on Aiden's Loch Ness Monster storybook and a photo of me in it would be perfect. You got some great shots and, yes, a lovely day and a great way to end our safari! (Just too bad it had to end at all!)
ReplyDeletePauline you can have any photo you want and it would be great to know that Aiden will have that to treasure.I really hope that it won't be our last safari.
DeleteI hope not, too, Graham because I've been having dreams of the Trans Siberian Railway. And I can think of only one person who would be likely to do it with me.
DeleteYes, that was a good way to end the tour. It's very green to what we would have.
ReplyDeleteRed it's always green around Loch Ness but this year we've had a particularly wet summer.
DeleteI love love love the castle photos...even though it's just ruins they're still incredibly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to catch a glimpse of Nessie in the background...but no such luck.
I'm glad you like the castle photos Virginia. There is an atmosphere of times past even with the sunny weather and the tourists. As for Nessie? No luck there I'm afraid.
DeleteBeautiful pictures, Mr. Edwards. I guess that was a good place to build such a structure and that huge tower to keep a lookout for the MacDonald clan!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mrs Thyme. It was a very good strategic site whomsoever your enemies happened to be at the time but, as you say, it wasn't always the English who were raiding it: clan wars were frequent and bloody.
DeleteWhat a fabulous spot for a castle; I'm rather surprised that it wasn't re-built.
ReplyDeleteCro by the time 1700 had come I suspect everyone had run out of money and the will to rebuild it when it fell into disuse.
DeleteWhat glorious photos. I'll miss Pauline's red jacket in the next ones, Graham.
ReplyDeleteFrances I shall miss Pauline's red jacket too! I'll have to find a substitute.
DeleteWhat a glorious day! It could have only been topped if you had sighted The Loch Ness Monster which I was lucky to see when I was seven years old. See
ReplyDeletehttp://beefgravy.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/confession.html
YP that was an interesting post. In fact it still is. Our eyes and mind so often play tricks on us though. But who really knows whether Nessie exists? I'm certainly not bold enough to say yea or nae.
DeleteOf course he exists - just have a few too many wee drams and hey presto - there he is floating happily in Loch Ness!
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures by the way.
Absolutely Spesh. But too many drams? Perish the thought.
DeleteGlorious photos; absolutely glorious.
ReplyDeleteGreat friendships never end... :)
Lee I believe friendships are life: without them there is no life.
Deletewhat an exquisite series of photos! If I could see this in person, I'd feel like I'd died and gone to heaven because all the grounds are so lush.
ReplyDelete