Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

Month: June 2019

  • Camascoille

    Camascoille

    A run out this morning onto the wide expanse of the wild Ruhba Mòr. The highest elevation, a mere 90m. The plan was to get to the headland, Rubha na Còigich but the wind and tough going caused second thoughts. It would have been an epic. I was intrigued by a small collection of walls…

  • Suilven

    Suilven

    A wander up to Fionn Loch, the location for a classic photo of Suilven but the top was in cloud. On the way down I looked back and it had cleared. Ah well, that’s the way it goes. It is thought the name Suilven comes from a contraction of the Norse sulur meaning a pillar…

  • A’ Chlach Thuill

    A’ Chlach Thuill

    Clear blue skies with no wind for the early dog walk predicting a warm day. This is looking towards the distinction spilt rock of Torridonian sandstone from which the village of Clachtoll gets its name. The name Clachtoll means the rock with the hole, a sea arch, and there was indeed one which collapsed in…

  • The Old Man of Stoer

    The Old Man of Stoer

    Not to be confused with the Old Man of Storr which is on the Isle of Skye. This old man is off the coast of Assynt near Stoer Point. A 60-metre high sea stack of Torridonian sandstone that is a classic with rock climbers; in fact, three climbers had just completed it – look closely…

  • Foinaven from Inshegra

    Foinaven from Inshegra

    An overcast, rather dull evening but late on the clouds broke over Foinaven shining white with its covering of quartzite rock and boulders. Shame about the ubiquitous graveyard for redundant motor vehicles in the foreground. Foinaven is, of course, with its neighbour Arkle, famous after the pair of eponymous racehorses from the stable of the…

  • Seannabhat

    Seannabhat

    I was last here 20 years ago but I can’t for the life of me remember the 6½ km walk in. But I have the photo to prove it so must have. Sandwood Bay is far more popular today but I wonder if the wild campers that were there know of the ghostly stories associated…

  • Cranstackie from Beinn Spionnaidh

    Cranstackie from Beinn Spionnaidh

    The two most northerly Corbetts. 45 minutes earlier I was on top of Cranstackie in the distance in 70 mph winds, rain with no visibility. I had decided to call it a day and abort an attempt on Beinn Spionnaidh, but by the time I made the col the mist had cleared and the rain…

  • Cracking sunset last night

    Cracking sunset last night

    Actually, the sun had already set. Half past ten! Parked up at Balnakeil Bay near Durness. Open Space Web-Map builder Code

  • Rabbit islands

    Rabbit islands

    The little island nearest is Talmine Island but the ones in the distance are called Rabbit Islands. There are three maybe five of them depending if count one as being split by a cleft and another by a sandbank both of which are dry at low water. In fact the map shows a tidal sandbar…

  • Kyle of Tongue from Ben Loyal

    Kyle of Tongue from Ben Loyal

    Or Beinn Laghail to give it its proper Gaelic name, Ben Loyal being just an Anglicised spelling. Laghail is thought to come from the Norse “laga fiall” meaning law mountain. Although others have suggested a mountain of trees as an alternative derivation , law mountain is the more likely as there is a strong Norse…