Cromarty and Cromarty Firth are perhaps associated with sever weather and Gales as announced on the daily Shipping Forecast Broadcasts. But from my experience also a rather amenable Scottish Location.
Weather, location, no matter where…..
th October
(C) David Oakes 2021
Along the Firth of Forth, the Fife Coastline has many ports and harbours. One time Fishing was king. Gas and Petroleum have become the principle cargoes.
Dysart is one of the oldest harbours. It is recorded in records dating back to 1450. Its importance to the local economy saw the harbour expanded and strengthened over the centuries. Fishing was of course for a time an important trade for Dysart Harbour. But its real economic importance was the export of the areas two principle products. Fife had an abundance of productive Coal Mines. It also was a Salt Producer of some size, from the many ‘salt pans’ along the Firth.
The export trade in both these mineral commodities produced a profitable trade across the Norths Sea to the European Low Countries. Return cargo was often Pantiles and bricks.
But times and economics change. Dysart soon became too small to handle the larger and faster ships that progress demanded, so its fortunes waned.
Today, Dysart makes use of its harbour mainly for leisure. A rugged harbour still offering safe sanctuary for those venturing out to the Firth of Forth and maybe beyond.
If you are venturing further afield or remaining local…..
21st September
(C) David Oakes 2021
Located at the head of the Ryvoan Pass, the Bothy is just one of a network of similar structures dotted across the Scottish Highlands. They serve as welcome shelter in some of the remotest areas, welcome should the weather become problematic. Welcome for those who are on long distant treks and need a shelter for the night. Accommodation is basic, but chance encounters with other mountaineers and Walkers add to the fun.
Always a welcome find, but when the weather is moody, its better than a 5star hotel.
Ryvoan Bothy is not the remotest on the Bothy network, its location high on the Cairngorms still give you that very wild experience, great views over the mountains and across to the Abernethy Forest.
The Bothies may be remote…but there is still the need to
13th September
(C) David Oakes 2021
I would love to be here enjoying the smell of the sea air, feel some of that spray on the face and admire an ever changing scene.
The location where I was standing was at the rocky mouth to the idyllic Scottish Saint Abbs Harbour. The view is across the bay to Bell Hill and Wuddy Rocks in the shadow of the mighty Saint Abbs Head, jutting boldly into the North Sea.
I said idyllic, and on a day such as this it is……. but on others it can be very very wild – but probably just as beautiful, just more dramatic. 🙂
Wherever you are and whatever your weather……
4th September
(C) David Oakes 2021
Nearly a typing slip there….. for a moment I typed “The Wet Highlands”….. and to be honest it often is. This particular day it had been heavy highland rain all day. We drove down the old Military Road from Glenelg, through the Ratagan Forest to the top of the Ratagan Pass. As we headed down to Shiel Bridge, the heavy cloud parted and the late afternoon sun burst through. It was only a brief break, then the fast moving clouds from the west rolled in once again.
To say we were fortunate is perhaps an understatement…. at the top of the pass is a convenient parking area especially for this viewpoint.
The view down to Morvich and Shiel Bridge at the head of Loch Duich and the surrounding mountains of Kintail, known as the Five Sisters, is truly spectacular….. but on this very wet moody day it was pure magic. As mentioned it was only a brief break, but well worth getting out of the car and also getting wet.
We were staying in the village of Morvich and that Highland rain continued overnight and all the next day.
Wherever you are and whatever your weather……
30th August
(C) David Oakes 2021
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