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Muckross House, Ireland

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Introduction This evening, I am focusing on Muckross House, an Irish heritage property situated close to the popular town of Killarney in S.W. Ireland . Location is about 300 km (180 m) or 3.5 hours from Dublin .  Muckross House, Kerry, Ireland Information on Muckross House  This property was designed by Scottish architect, William Burn for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife, Mary Balfour Herbert. Construction was completed in 1843. Queen Victoria visited in 1861. As will be evident from the images herein, the location benefits from a mild, wet climate which facilitates the lush and well maintained gardens for which Muckross is renowned. Other attractions at Muckross include: Farms Restaurant Craft Shop Tours of the interior which remains set in the Victorian period. Torc Waterfall. Jaunty Car (horse and buggy) rides. Lough Leane (lake). Muckross is well positioned for start/finish of a tour of the Ring of Kerry . Video clip of Lough Leane, parkland and Muckro...
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Wildlife and Wild Weather

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Introduction Overnight, April 4th/5th, SW Scotland was predicted to be hit by very strong winds associated with Storm Dave.However, insofar as Glasgow was concerned, the veracity fell well short of that predicted. Nevertheless, Storm Dave did leave a legacy of volatile weather as manifested today, varying between heavy snow showers and bright sunshine. Today, April 5th.  At breakfast time we had a visit from one of the local urban fox community which availed of a grooming session on our back lawn. Visiting Fox   After breakfast I ventured out on a walk. Following a coffee stop in Giffnock I encountered a heavy snow storm which lasted about 15 minutes.This seemed to provide more actual snow than we experienced throughout the entire winter.  Video of snow storm in Giffnock   Next, I walked on for about 2 miles to a high elevation spot at Deaconsbank Golf Course. By the time I reached this destination the snow had given way to bright sunshine. This location afford...
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Dolphins at Chanonry Point

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  Dolphins at Chanonry Point, Scotland Introduction This evening, I am focusing on a popular Dolphin watching spot called Chanonry Point. Information on Dolphins at Chanonry Point.    Location is on the Black Isle , east coast of Scotland, a little north of Inverness at tip of a finger of land which juts into the Moray Firth.This is also where the lighthouse is sited. Access is via the village of Fortrose then a right turn through a golf course.Chanonry Point links with Rosemarkie Bay. The Dolphins here are of the Bottlenose variety.  Opposite Chanonry Point is the 18th century British military fort known as Fort George from where dolphins can also be spotted. Rosemarkie Bay, Scotland. View South from Chanonry Point. Lighthouse at Chanonry Point, Scotland Dolphin watchers at Chanonry Point Actual sightings of dolphins at Chanonry point is not guaranteed. The dolphins are attracted by the fish which in turn arrive in high numbers when the tide is hi...
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Scottish Lighthouses

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Introduction  This afternoon, I am posting a portfolio of lighthouse images obtained in context of my tours around Scotland.   Isle of May Lighthouse, Firth of Forth. Information on the Scottish Lighthouses  There exist some 200 lighthouses positioned around Scotland’s rugged and challenging coastline. Lighthouse construction in the modern sense commenced in the 1780s under leadership of Thomas Smith of Dundee (1752-1814), son of ship’s captain.The first lighthouses were Kinnaird Head in 1787, Mull of Kintyre in 1788, North Ronaldsay in 1789 and Eileen Glas in 1789. Smith was succeeded by his son-in-law, Robert Stevenson (1772-1850) who became Chief engineer for the new, Northern Lighthouse Board. The Stevenson family became synonymous with lighthouse building, being collectively responsible for at least 80 structures over three generations.This started with Robert, his sons David and Thomas and David’s sons, David Allan and Charles Alexander.Stevenson f...
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Grey Heron at Rouken Glen Country Park, Glasgow

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Tour of Scottish Borders

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Introduction This afternoon, I am reporting on a day tour of the Scottish Borders region (southern Scotland). Information on the Scottish Borders   Tour    Spider’s Web at Dryburgh Abbey , Scotland First we departed our lodgings in Melrose and drove to nearby Dryburgh Abbey. Now a romantic ruin, the Abbey was founded around 1150 for a cadre of monks known as premonstratensians. Influenced by its location, the abbey was subject to attacks by English armies in 14th and 16th centuries with final denouement at time of the Reformation in 1560. Here are buried Sir Walter Scott and Earl Haig. Dryburgh Abbey, Scotland Dryburgh Abbey, Scotland Next to Hawick to join 11.30 am tour of the Johnstons of Elgin cashmere textile mill. We benefited from a private tour which proved a fascinating and instructive experience. Cashmere at Johnstons Manufacturing at Johnstons Cashmere Johnstons Cashmere, Hawick, Scotland Tour Guide at Johnstons Cashmere After a light lunch a...
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Pennan

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 Introduction This afternoon I am posting information on Pennan (pop 50). This is a coastal village sitting on the north coast of mainland Scotland and about 45 miles north of Aberdeen .  Information on Pennan  Firstly, the writer apologises for the poor quality of images in this post. This is because the said images date back about 20 years and were taken in the early years of digital photography.  As some readers may recall Pennan is famous as the setting for the 1983 comedy film, Local Hero. The story centred on an American oil company fixer who was sent to Scotland to buy up an entire village on which to build an oil refinery. However, the man finds himself having a change of heart. Today, the village is subject of media attention owing to a campaign (by the residents) to cancel       P ennan's 'conservation village' status. The status is bestowed on areas of 'special architectural or historical interest, the character or appearance of which is des...
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