Sunday 17 September 2017

The four 'F's of Scotland - August 2017



Only in Scotland ...

Felines

We booked a sit in Lochgilphead, on the shores of Loch Fyne, to take care of three puddy tats for Robina and Bill.  This was one of those sits that was just meant to be.  We found it early one morning and had come to an agreement within approx 20mins of application.   Just how we like it too work :-)

The drive up through the mountains and lakes was very beautiful.  We arrived on Clare's birthday .... she always gets to travel to cool places on her birthday!  We met Sydney, the 22 year old black cat  who has clearly had a charmed life as even at this age she is still relatively sprightly.  Not always happy with the antics of the young ones, but that's just par for the course for the older generation.

Awww, bless :-)

Her house mates are brother and sister pair Alfie and Millie

We're not meant to be on the bed, but aren't we cute!?!?
These two were hand reared after losing their mum and seem to have missed out on learning some standard cat behaviours .... like keeping dry and warm inside.  Whenever it rained (which it did a lot!) these two would come in wet through and shake like a dog.  Too funny!



Crazy cat Alfie

Everyone was certainly up for plenty of cuddles, one of the things we love about sitting cats.  Along with the fact that they leave us plenty of time for one of our other favourite 'F's ....

Fishing

We conveniently found ourselves on the Crinan Canal which is used by yachties to get from Crinan in the Mull of Jura to Adrishaig on Loch Fyne which is a sea loch.  We spent a few hours at the lighthouse in Adrishaig spinning for mackerel to use as bait.  We were successful enough to get a good feed out of the bigger ones.  Some of the locals told us that there used to be enough fish in the loch to 'fill ya boots' but the loch has been done over by commercial fishing for langoustines ... a local delicacy that the area is well know for.  Nothing quite like fresh mackerel though ... just ask the cats ;-)


We would then drive the 20mins on a (mostly) very narrow one-lane road to Crinan at the other end of the canal to fish for something a bit bigger.  Again with some success.

Fish on!

We caught quite a few of these gorgeous Thornback Rays.  Too beautiful to take home to eat so they all went back to live another day ... or two.  Allegedly the wings are delicious so maybe one day we will have to partake.

We also caught a few dog fish and one day the mackerel were so active in the wee bay where we were fishing that we couldn't help but set up a spinning rod just for fun.  

Crinan Hotel ... what a majestic location!
On the days that we had Foul Weather (the third of our four 'F's), which was more often than not, we ventured into the surrounding forests to indulge the last of our favourite 'F' words ...

Foraging for Fungi

We are all up for taking the good with the bad and lots of rain actually means lots of wild mushrooms.  It seems that some of the most beautiful scenery in the world is created by very wet conditions.  This stunning part of west Scotland is very much a product of this phenomena.

Wet wet wet


We visited the beaver regeneration area in the Knapdale forest.  No beavers to see but plenty of beautiful scenery and quite a few mushrooms.


We found a huge supply of the most beautiful white oyster mushrooms, almost too pretty to pick, but these ones found their way into the kitchen.  Yummm!!!





We came across lots of other mushrooms, some we have seen before others not but each as interesting and pretty as the next.

Not a fungus ... Dog lichen
  Still pretty
Dyers Mazegill (or jam donut!)



We were also treated to a good ten minutes of watching this cute guy who wasn't as afraid of us as we expected.  These native red squirrels are endangered in the UK, unlike their imported cousin, the grey squirrel.


We visited the pretty port town of Oban on the very day the Highland Games began.  There were lots of pipe bands playing down the main street and lots of whiskey shops.  We felt like we should have gone in for a tasting but neither of us can stand the smell of whiskey, let alone the taste.  Sorry Scotland!



If you get a chance to explore this treasured area of bonny Scotland grab at it.  We will certainly be back sometime.

More cute cat pics ....





Tuesday 5 September 2017

Suffolk coast - July 2017

Sunset fishing
Our next adventure was back in Leiston, looking after Gail for Jenny for just over a month.  This is a regular sit for us but Gail is a new dog.  Both May and Trix sadly passed away (of old age) since our last sit and Gail is the new member of the family.  We love staying here as it is only five minutes to the coast and some lovely bush walks with Gail in the other direction.

Sizewell nuclear power station in the
back ground .... hmmm 

We had some great evenings down on the beach fishing .... and not catching anything.  No matter.  It is just lovely to sit out, weather permitting, and enjoy the changing colours of the sunsets.  Gail was a bit perturbed by this in the first instance as there wasn't quite enough activity for her, but Clare took her for lots of mini walks and she soon learned to settle down and soak up the atmosphere too. 

Fireworks in the village
Of cours we also enjoyed many day trips to the beach.

Fish and chips, Aldburgh, with Peter and Chris
 James braved the water ...
Gail the lifeguard

The girls chillin'
What to do when you can't catch any fish from the shore?  Book a couple of days on a charter boat and boy, did James 'bring home the bacon'!  Neither of us had tried turbot before.  Soft and delicate flesh.  You can't beat fresh fish of almost any variety.

Turbot

Sea Bass

Yummm!
He also took some great pics of the windmill farm under construction out to sea.  ONE of these windmills produces enough electricity from ONE single rotation of the blades to power a single house for approx 28 hours. Renewable energy, hell yeah, bring it on!

The construction vessel puts legs down to the
ocean floor to anchor itself whilst it  performs
the precise task of installing the windmill components


We enjoyed a romp out to Snape Maltings for a walk out on the marshes.  Gail had an absolute ball!



Slightly less impressed with the shower
when we got home :-)
Gail at the marshes ... too funny :-)


We picked some marsh samphire and boiled it up with new potatoes, mixed some butter through and it was really delicious.  Love wild food.


Wild raspberries picked on Gail's
favourite forest walk and
enjoyed on ourmorning cereal

RIP gorgeous girls :-(
Trix and May