Photos and the City

Tag: Scottish Isles

  • Nether Largie South Cairn

    Visiting Nether Largie South Cairn, Kilmartin Glen

    The oldest burial monument in Kilmartin Glen’s prehistoric linear cemetery is a short walk from the Temple Wood Stone Circle. It was built over 5000 years ago.

    Visiting Nether Largie South Cairn, Kilmartin Glen

    The original chamber at its centre was divided into four compartments and probably held numerous burials, in line with Neolithic practices.

    As with the other monuments in Kilmartin Glen, the site continued to be used as a sacred place. At some point about 4,000 years ago the cairn was enlarged into a 30m-wide round cairn, to accommodate two secondary cists, or stone coffins – doubtless to house the remains of chiefs. (Historic Enviroment)

    Visiting Nether Largie South Cairn, Kilmartin Glen

    Visiting Nether Largie South Cairn, Kilmartin Glen

    Visiting Nether Largie South Cairn, Kilmartin Glen

  • Isle of Staffa

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    My boat trip to the Isle of Staffa was planned while still on Mull but had to be postponed due to weather. So a few days later I drove back to Oban, boarded the ferry to Mull, then got on a bus and 1h later was ready for my boat trip to the Isle of Staffa.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    Besides being a bird paradise, the Isle of Staffa is known as Scotland’s Giant´s Causeway. Once upon a time, there might have been a “bridge” going from here to the north of Ireland.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    Fingal´s Cave

    According to Irish legend, a giant who was known as Fionn mac Cumhail once used the bridge between the two basalt formations as a bridge to get from Ireland to Scotland. The reason being for a fight that was to take place against Benandonner, who was the known rival of Fionn mac Cumhail. So, while the theory that the two formations were once connected to bridge the gap between Scotland and Ireland was actually correct, the legend’s authenticity has yet to be confirmed. (The Travel)

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    The legend, which connects the two structures, is in effect geologically correct. Both the Giant’s Causeway and Fingal’s Cave were indeed created by the same ancient lava flow, which may have at one time formed a “bridge” between the two sites. Of course, this happened some 60 million years ago, long before people would have been around to see it. (Atlas Obscura)

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    This little island is one kilometre long and about 1/2 kilometre wide, and in the summertime, it is home to lots of puffins.

    Staffa was hardly known until 1772, when the botanist Joseph Banks highlighted the wild, natural beauty of the island. It soon became a must-see location. Famous visitors have included Queen Victoria, Lord Tennyson, Jules Verne, Robert Louis Stevenson and John Keats; all fell under the island’s spell.

    Staffa came into the care of the National Trust for Scotland in 1986, a gift from John Elliott, Jr, of New York in honour of his wife Elly’s birthday. (National Trust Scotland)

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    I think we had a couple of hours to explore the island, and I did a bit of a circular walk, but I spent too much time watching the puffins and didn´t make it into the cave. Due to the avian flu, the cliffs were blocked a bit but still close enough to see all the birds.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    Flying puffins

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    It was time to return to the boat.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    Puffins seen from the boat.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    Bye Staffa

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

    A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides. View of the Boathouse in the Isle of Ulva.

    The Boathouse in the Isle of Ulva and we were returning to Mull.

     

     

     

  • Duart Castle

    Visiting Duart Castle in the Isle of Mull.

    Duart Castle – I had seen this castle about 5 or 6 times now from the ferry. So it was about time to visit. Duart Castle looks over the channel between the Scottish Mainland and the Isle of Mull.

    Visiting Duart Castle in the Isle of Mull.

    The Castle was completely refurbished around the oldest part in 1911 by Sir Fitzroy Maclean. Before this date, the Castle was a ruin from the 18th Century. (Duart Castle)

    It is possible to visit the castle, but I left that for another day and just went for a little walk on the grounds.

    Visiting Duart Castle in the Isle of Mull.

    Visiting Duart Castle in the Isle of Mull.

    On the way back to Tobermory, I saw the ruins of another castle, I think this was around Salen.

    Bye bye Isle of Mull

    Taking the ferry back to Oban and crossing by the Isle of Mull.

    On the ferry back to Oban, I of course, saw Duart Castle again. By now, it was a well-known sight for me.

    Taking the ferry back to Oban and crossing by the Isle of Mull.