Loch Ordie

Last Wednesday in pretty foul weather I decided to walk up to Loch Ordie, which is further up from Mill Dam which I have blogged about before.  Just park up at Craiglush and follow the path.  When I reached Mill Dam I took the upper path to Loch Ordie so I could do a circular.  Shame about the rainy day and rain splattered photos but was still glorious.  Great old lodge up at Loch Ordie then made the return walk past Dowally Loch and Rotmell Loch.

A Trip to Yorkshire

Just had my annual October few days away, probably the first time in a year I have been further than a 50 mile radius of Blairgowrie.  I have relations in Easingwold in Yorkshire and have been meaning to go down and visit for a long time so finally made it and the sun shone.  I took far too many photographs so will just put a very small selection on here and add the others to my flickr page.  Having a slight obsession with old buildings my uncle probably thought I was completely bonkers taking pictures of bricks etc, guess I made the wrong career move all those years ago, c'est la vie.
The area of Yorkshire they stay in is absolutely stunning, I overdosed on quaintness and scenery and architecture.  Ever since the early 80's when the tv series Brideshead Revisited first hit our screens I have always wanted to visit Castle Howard and I wasn't disappointed and even more bizarrely I met some people who stayed here last year.  Also covered on the whirlwind visit was York, and a steam train excursion from Pickering to Goathland, where the tv series Heartbeat was filmed.  Chatted to a lady at Goathland station who informed me that it was used as Hogsmeade Station in the first Harry Potter film, she knew her stuff and reeled off all the train numbers and names.  I had a bit of a parallel universe experience whilst sitting on a bench in Goathland watching the world go by as everybody seemed to be over a certain age (no disrespect intended, just an observation)
I  get a lot of guests coming to stay from Yorkshire and many of my overseas guests include the area in their trip to the UK - I shall certainly return.

A quiet hour at Loch Clunie

Loch Clunie is probably one of my favourite local lochs as the view is great and during the week there is no one about, just the wildlife to sit and enjoy, and the dog likes to play in the water.  Quite pleased with my picture of him distracted by the sight of a rabbit.  He certainly needed his swim today as he decided to roll about in some fishy remains and the 'pleasant' aroma is still lingering about him this evening.

New Pathway in Darroch Woods

Darroch Woods aka Bluebell Woods has got a lovely new path, and the old stile has been replaced by a gate.  The whole woodland is now much more accessible for people who may otherwise not manage.  Always plenty of interest in the woods whatever time of year you visit.