Idyllic weather at Duncansby Head Lighthouse. The Pentland Firth must always be taken seriously, never as calm as it looked on this day. Cross currents from the Atlantic and the North Sea collide in these treacherous waters. The views across to the Orkneys were tantalising….indeed a rare day for the North Coast of Scotland.
Even in a quiet location like this…..
2nd June
(C) David Oakes 2020
Somewhere to head back to…. one day. Till then
27th May
(C) David Oakes 2020
In hope, and looking forward to being able to travel once again, I am recalling places that have proven to be great days out. So lets head to the Ayrshire Coast of Scotland.
Culzean Castle and its surrounding Country Park is one such location. It is quite a ‘new’ castle. Built on the ruins of and earlier building, the 10th Earl of Cassilis, commissioned the Architect Robert Adam to build a Grand Country House. Culzean Castle is the result. It was built between 1777 & 1792.
I would describe the Castle as being double fronted. The landward side above overlooks a beautiful formal garden with many exotics.
The seaward side overlooks the Firth of Clyde, Ailsa Craig , Isle of Arran, and beyond into the Irish Sea. So the castle was designed to provide rooms with great sea views.
The Earl of Cassilis was Chief of the Clan Kennedy. It was the Kennedy family that gifted Culzean Castle to the National Trust of Scotland in 1945. The Kennedy family attached one condition….. That an Apartment within the Castle be kept for the use of Dwight D Eisenhower in recognition of his service to the Country as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in WWII. As President of the United States, he took advantage of the honour as a holiday venue.
Once we overcome the current difficulties it will once again become a both a grand holiday location and the opportunity for a Grand Day Out.
If the Ayrshire weather is kind and you linger into the evening you may well be graced with a sunset over the Isle of Arran….
and that’s a bonus in itself
When life becomes more normal it is well worth a visit…. Till then…
23rd May
(C) David Oakes 2020
The mountain region of the Trossachs just to the north of Glasgow and to the west of Perth and Stirling is a very worthy tourist destination. Undoubtedly the scenery is dramatic, dotted with many Lochs, winding steep roads and deep Glens.
One Loch above all others in the Trossachs attracts the most visitors. It is Loch Katrine. It once was a natural Loch running through Strath Gartney. It became a Reservoir for Glasgow in the 1850’s when the water level was artificially raised.
But the Trossachs and Loch Katrine had already come to visitors attention on the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Lady of the Lake‘ which was loosely based upon Loch Katrine as well as legendary connection with Rob Roy. It was great PR in the days when tourism was taking its first steps of popular appeal. Today its location so near to Glasgow, Stirling and Perth has ensured its retained its popularity.
I have always loved exploring the Trossachs, whilst I rather like Katrine, I have always found that the nicest views are best towards the mountains from on the Loch, rather than of the Loch from the shore…somehow you don’t loose the man made boundary at shore level.
To make sure visitors can do exactly that and view this part of the Trossachs from the water, you can take a trip on the Steam Boat ‘Sir Walter Scott’. So I have dug deep into my archive and found an old transparency, rather faded but here is a quick scan.
So when all these lockdown restrictions are lifted you too could ‘sailaway’
Where ever you are….
15th May
(C) David Oakes 2020
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