Hi Steemians! Today I am sharing my trip to Scotland last week, I explored some amazing beaches and came across so many amazing sights! I hope you enjoy the post! - Verity x
As some of my followers might already know I have a real connection with the West Coast of Scotland, with most my family now living there its an amazing excuse to go up and explore more of this amazing place. We have been going there, every year, since I was born. I rememeber the long car journeys and not once did we complain as we knew that when we got there it would be worth it. Scotland is unlike anywhere else in the World. The history is some of the oldest and most populated, the wildlife is amazing and the scenery is untouched. Not many places in the UK today are as "wild" as Scotland, and this is a huge part of its appeal. Ok, it does rain, quite a lot, but even when it does the landscape just comes alive, looking all moody and atmospheric, after all programmes like "Outlander" wouldn't really work if it was all sunny all the time would they!
My adventure started with a walk down from my parents home to a near by beach. Its hard to believe that all this is just on their doorstep! Although the rest of the UK was having a heat wave Scotland hadn't quite got the memo, and was a brisk, windy day! But it was better than the last time I was up were we had torrential rain, so I wasn't complaining! I noticed these amazing windswept trees just on the shore of the beach and just loved the shape of them against the horizon!
The views across to the neighbouring islands was moody and dark. The clouds were thick and the only sound was the waves crashing onto the shore! There was a hint of a blue sky in the distance so this gave me hope of better weather to come!
I started noticing the amazing rock formations in front of us, everywhere on the beach were these amazing rocks with little holes in them, called piddocks. This one had a piece of sea weed attached to it, like its own piece of art!
As we made our way further around the cove the weather did start to brighten up, this view changes so often that I don't think I have ever seen it look the same. Some island will be hidden and then you look again and its all clear! It's so beautiful looking out onto them and thinking about all the ages ago that other people have done the same.
As we walked around the cove the rock formations had got a lot more interesting. The ones we were walking over had clearly been distorted by moving lava hundreds or thousands of years ago. It was so unusual to see rocks that looked like wood! The colours as well were really unique and amazing in texture.
I could have spent hours just taking photographs of this one rock, but I knew there was more to come! This black and white photograph really brings out all the details in the rock and shows you how much pressure it must have been put under to create such an effect!
As we came to another little beach this one was covered in orange rocks, and ones that looked like mini mountains too! It was so amazing. I have been to many Scottish beaches but none with rock formations like this, or of this colour. They were leading out into the sea leaving behind little rock pools on the beach!
Here you can see there was one large boulder left on its own. I wonder if it had fallen from up the hill and how long ago? The rock had so many lines and layers to it that really showed its age.
This formation was really crazy, I can't believe all the bends and curves that have been created, it really did look like wood, and something that I have never seen before. I really wish we were there with a geologist so that we could get a proper explanation for how these were created.
Walking around the shore with just us on this amazing beach was amazing, and something you can only get in Scotland. The view across the sea was starting to get calmer and calmer, the sea mist was lifting and we got some more amazing views.
Then we got an amazing site of a Great Northern Diver, birds I have only seen in Scotland. Its a great bird to see, with its white chest and plumage, they dive for quite a while so its always fun to try and see them again after they pop back up! I only had by 17-40mm and 50mm lenses with me, so not the ideal bird watching lens! But you can still see it n this shot!
The closer we looked the more unusual rocks we spotted. These two photographs below show how this rock had got lots of curved hole shapes carved out of it, it was really confusing us as to how these were formed!! If anyone has any ideas we would love to hear them. The second shot always shows how lovely the lichen was growing on the rock, I nice pop of the colour against the gloomy background!
Looking around the corner we got view of the isle of Jura and over towards the Corryvreckan whirlpool, the third largest whirpool in the World!
This rock was one of my favourites, again these amazing shapes on it! These ones were triangular which was so pretty, and the yellow lichen growing on it was just amazing, anyone would think that this was an art installation not a natural rock formation! Its so crazy how different rocks and stones are from beach to beach, this one was one of the most varied I have seen!
Trees that grow this close to the sea must be very hardy! This one was growing on a small bank next to the shore and has clearly been shaped and moved with the sea wind over time. It looked very impressive as it was reaching out into the sky and I loved how wild it looked.
This rock pool was a really interesting shape, normally rock pools are round and all uneven edges but this was one was so sharp and straight which was really unusual! The lines were so straight and looked as if it can't possibly have been natural, the colours inside too were so pretty.
This year had been a great year for these little flowers, Primroses. Here you can see they are thriving in the most unusual places. The rocks have clearly provided a nice place for them to grow safe away from the harsh winds of the sea.
I didn't think the orange colours or rock formations could get any more interesting but just as I thought that we made our way round to the next beach and were greeted with this stunning view!
There were these amazing blue/green rocks that were reaching out into the sea with lovely lines and patterns on them. The pool was full of little creatures and sea anemones. I have never been to a beach where the rocks are all these different colours, I didn't know what to photograph first!
I loved all the amazing textures on all these rocks and decided to put my 50mm on and go around and get some shots of just the lines and shapes of them all. I could have taken hundreds and am really happy with these results. I think they could work as a little series!
I think this next shows is the best example of these curved rocks that I took. It shows how odd the shapes are and how hot that lava must have been to bend and distort this much rock like that. Amazing ! The black and white again is to show all the detail, and also because I thought it worked better than colour on this one!
What I found amazing too was the amount of layers in the rocks. I mean it just doesn't look like stone does it?!
I had loved our little trip to the beach and was looking forward to some tea and a quick bite to each before we went out on our next adventure! I have been across the Atlantic Bridge a few times but not until now stopped and got some photographs of it, I have even kayaked under it! But it was so nice to take the time to get a few shots of this amazing bridge.
The Clachan Bridge is a bridge from mainland Scotland across to Seil island, and is also known as the Atlantic Bridge it literally crosses the Atlantic. It was built in 1792 and had become a huge tourist attraction but due to its really high curve coach passengers have to disembark the bus for it to be able to get over it and then get back on the other side! Next to the car park of the bridge is this really cute little souvenir shop! Which is also, very trustingly, a serve yourself one, where the prices are marked and you put the money in a little box inside.
The views from the top of the bridge were so amazing! I took a photo from both sides you show you what it was like!
It was also so nice to see the lovely colourful flowers which were a nice glimpse of what's to come in the Spring/Summer, which can't come soon enough!
There is a pub on Seil island just after you go over the bridge called Tigh-an-Truish. The pub used to be used for the islanders after the Jacobite Rising of 1745 to change from their trousers into their forbidden kilts when returning to the island!
I loved this old sign that was becoming part of this old tree too!
After our little trip to the bridge we headed down the road to Ardfern. Along the way we came across this amazing boat that had been shipwrecked along the shore. It was so windy at this point and really cold but I wanted to get out and get a few shots, so I ran down to the shore to capture this amazing site!
We continued all the way to the end of the road which was nearly blocked by some stubborn highland cows!!
The end of the road came out at a little jetty that went down to the sea. There was an old ruined building next to it too which looked very atmospheric.
The views from here were just stunning, there were lovely turquoise and blue colours in the sky and the clouds were just so pretty.
My hair was going crazy in the wind and instead of hide it I tried to embrace it and got this shot of my mum with some of my hair blowing away!
I also got my mum to get a shot of me with all my hair going crazy in the wind! It was fun brushing it after this that's for sure!
The light was constantly changing and looked amazing so I took another shot of this lovely old building over looking the sea! Imagine how nice it must have been for someone's house or work space, with all these undisturbed views!
Embracing the wind once more I got this shot of the landscape with my hair, it was the easiest way to show how windy it was!!
On the road back we stopped at this old chapel to see what was there. In the graveyard there was this amazing cross stone covered with lots of different types of lichen, it looks so pretty with all the colours and textures on it.
The church yard overlooked such an amazing part of the view, it must have been an amazing place to worship and admire. The stones were all really old and there was a sign to suggest that there were some older stones inside the chapel so we went to have a look at them
These stones below have been moved from their original positions to inside the chapel to protect them from the elements. They were carved locally in the 15th or 16th century. Although some think due to the Latin cross they could be earlier! There is also a large base for a freestanding cross which has a "mass clock" (sun dial) on it.
The origin of the Chapel is still unknown but likely dates as far back as the 12th century. It is not known who's graves lie in the church which is fascinating, as unfortunately the slabs have been damaged. Most of the graves in the yard belong to the Craignish family, Campbell MacDougall and others. The chapel was abandoned in 1692 for unknown reasons.
The views through the 2 small windows at the front of the church were so amazing! Must have looked even better with some coloured windows.
There were great little lookout points to the other stones outside through the chapel creating a lovely little scene.
I didn't think this day could get much better but we finished the day off by watching two Otter's play and eat about 25 yards away from us while the sun was going down!! Does it get much better than that?! Scotland just captures my heart again!
- Verity x
Photography by me and copyrighted to me.
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Wow amazing thank you so much ! :)
One day, I will visit Scotland! So many great pictures! Enjoy your day!
Thank you, I hope you get there someday! Have a nice day too!
Beautiful photos! I'm on my way to Montrose next week and will be touring Scotland for about 6 weeks. I can't wait! I hope to spend some time on the coast as well, its very beautiful.
Thank you ! I'm sure you will have an amazing time! Its hard not to in Scotland!
Amazing photos!! Thanks for sharing these incredible shoots.
I was in the lovely Scotlnad few years ago and I really enjoyed it, but never get pictures as you did.
Have a nice day ;)
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it! Hope you will return to Scotland and get some photos one day!
Well, I just hope to come back to Scotland, I don't mind if I take photos or not. Being in Scotland will be enough ;p I love it!
This is true, just to be there is enough!
Your pictures are incredible.. Firstly the view of sky with cloud and darkness looks so mystical.. Than the rocks are like a masterpiece.. It is the art of God.. Scotland is really a very special land..
Thank you! Scotland is definitely a magical place, even with rain and clouds it still manages to look beautiful!
Hi! Finally visited Scotland! Amazing post, so many great shots, those abstract rocky art - amazing, totally in my style - like my PhotoVisions entries ;).
You showed the real essence of Scotland, amazing views, cloudy weather, moody graveyards and characteristic buildings. Well done - other Steemians should learn from You how to create good quality posts!
Resteemed!
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed it !! The rocks were just incredible, like none that I have ever seen before! Appreciate you resteeming too, thank you :)
Ohh wooww... I want to go to Scotland! Love all those rocks and the small stones inside the big rocks.
And the tiny flowers...
And the part of the boat...
What a cool photos!
Thank you! Hahaha yeah I think everyone needs to go once in their life! Glad you enjoyed it!
wonderful photography.
Thank you!
awesome place to visit , great pics
Thank you so much!