Violent Storm Force 11?

Shipping forecast said "Violent Storm Force 11" for today, Monday at 10.00 am, and this is what that looks like. Not hugely impressive, visually, but it's a funny direction for us - south westerly and I'm not convinced it really is that strong a wind. Mind you, I didn't really want to get out of the car, because there are various objects flying through the air - cows, sheep, small buildings etc. So far no power or phone cuts, so the show goes on from the Barn of Bannocks. If the roof remains intact.

Belladrum - Tartan Heart Festival

Roll on next year! I mean, what other festival has EVER featured live kipper-smoking (there it is, in front of the 'Scott's Fresh Fish' van)? It was wet, but it wouldn't have been Scotland if it was dry, would it? Thanks a million to Joe Gibbs for allowing his lovely estate to be trampled and churned.
The pictures show, variously, Margaret Bennett and the lime tree planted in memory of her late son Martyn; Ricky Ross and Davie Scott on Saturday afternoon in the worst of the rain; Larry Love of the Alabama 3 in full flight; kipper smoking; Cosy Camping amid the mud; looking down on the main stage; extracting the 'honey wagon' from the mud' Emiliana Torrini on Friday; Larry Love and Mr James Morton of Hillswick.

A cleared croft

Sannions is one of two crofts north of Boatsgeo, Heylor, Shetland, cleared in the 19th century. The other is called Sumra, and both roofless houses were evidently carefully and strongly built.
I walked out from the road end on Saturday morning, the first time I'd ever been there. And it's amazing. Further north on what I suppose is the Tingon peninsula, there is the landmark headland called The Faither, large lochs, and I already know the volcanic outcrops and huge waterfalls. But the two crofts are incredibly atmospheric. You stand inside the walls, the wind dies away, and you can imagine everything that happened there in the past.
Below Sannions is a small beach, obviously used as a landing and reached by a precipitous path down the geo. On Sunday I was at a party with some local folk who knew the crofts well, and one man whose great grandfather used to dry fish on the same beach, every day during the season of 'Da Haaf' - the great herring fishery, conducted in open boats far out to sea. The crofts were cleared, apparently, after two Shetlanders came back from a profitable gold mining expedition and bought up the land. The Sannions and Sumra families loaded everything they owned - animals, furniture, goods and chattels, even the newly-cut corn, and sailed up Ronas Voe, landing at the head.
I had to leave, alas, before exploring Sumra, but I'll be back. It's one of the strangest, most melancholy, yet seductive areas I've ever been in Shetland.

Scenes from the West Highland Way

We set off from Milngavie in brutally hot conditions, and soon found it was necessary to soak ourselves in sunblock, anti-midge Skin So Soft (works, by annoying the midges, not killing them) and anything capable of destroying clegs, ticks and other beasties the tourist brochures never mention.
First two days ( Milngavie to Drymen, Drymen to Rowardennan) were really hard going - 16 miles a pop, feet not ready, blisters agogo - and the less remote first sections are a bit tedious. Loch Lomond on a hot Sunday between Balmaha and Rowardennan was a nightmare of jetskis (ban them all) messy barbecues and huge piles of litter. Rowardennan on was a delight, but that path up the eastern side of Loch Lomond is a struggle. And the Inversnaid Hotel is a disgrace - it should have a big sign saying WALKERS BARELY TOLERATED. Idiots. They must be losing a fortune through stupidity and arrogance. Whaur's yer Manley Hopkins noo?
Beinglass Farm comes highly recommended - great wee bar. Crianlarich next day wasn't really far enough - we were fitter and faster and ready for more. But great to see the trains! Over to Bridge of Orchy past Tyndrum was a delight - fast, hot, glorious mountain scenery, and the old military road provoking us to marching songs. Pity about the tick bites - would I get Lyme Disease? Great food at Bridge of Orchy - good hotel, posh but welcoming. Then the magical trek through Rannoch Moor to Glencoe. Fantastic. I love the Kingshouse Hotel, though you couldn't describe it as anything but, well, rough and ready. It's for climbers, basically. Four tea bags per pot! Those deer were photographed from the window at 10.30 pm. There was venison on the menu...Bambiburgers. Then the Devil's Staircase out of Glencoe and a short bash into Kinlochleven, before the wonderful Larigmhor to Fort William. I ate like a horse and lost half a stone. Also, cider now works for me, which it never did before. James was a star. Nasty infection from the tick bites, but no Lyme Disease. But be warned. Don't wear shorts...

Well, one final post before heading off on holiday. I'm walking the West Highland Way from the 9th of July, with son J, and doubtless there will be adventures and pictures once that's over. It's been a tiring and in many ways very difficult and demanding past six months, and I'm looking forward to the break. Especially as, mysteriously and excitingly, I've fallen in love all over again with Scotland's landscape, and I can't wait to get in amongst the mountains. Anyway, this is Shetland, and one of the strangest parts of the North Mainland. There is a ridge on the road to North Roe, just at Lochend, called the Beorgs of Skelberry, and when you climb it, and dip down into the valley beyond (where the Collafirth Burn offers several very deep and interesting swimming holes) you face this glaciated boulder field (maybe that's the wrong term). Anyway, it is, in certain lights, one of the spookiest places on earth.