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Since we bought the new camera I had very little opportunity to try it. Kevin wouldn't let me take pictures while climbing because "he, the man with the big brain knows better how to use it"
I let him play with his new toy for a few months but eventually I run out of patience. Last Monday after my husband set off for work I packed the camera in my rucksack and decided to go for a solo walk!
Well, Kevin might have left the camera but he took the car
so I had to choose something close to our village. I decided to investigate the hills north of Beauly. It was a very hot day so I made sure that I had enough water and sunscreen (my skin doesn't stand UV, I get nasty burns if I'm not careful) and left home with a big smile
I walked through the village center and turned NW past the church and the bridge over railway.
Very quickly I was surrounded by wild nature
Beautiful foxgloves grew on every corner:
Past Croyard I turned west and then north again towards Ruilick. I was still on a tarmac road and walking was pleasant in the sun:
I was about 100m above the sea level and nice views down started showing up:
View east to Beauly Firth:
I'm so glad to live in Beauly - such a lovely, quiet village:
Beauly pano with the river meandering through the village:
Gaining height but still on a good road:
It may be only about 300m of ascent but as temperature was in high twenties, I was sweating...
I walked past the crossing to Dunmore and took a forest track up into the shadowy woods:
Wild roses:
The main track through this forest goes NW passing the summit of Creag na Manachainn to the left. Some trees have been cut recently:
...but the remaining ones provided enough shadow for a very pleasant stroll:
At some point I noticed I was being watched from the far distance:
I followed the track for a few kilometers. I noticed first edible mushrooms growing in the forest - hey, it will soon be mushroom picking time, my favorite time of the year
! Mushrooms like warm and wet weather, we certainly had plenty of both in recent weeks.
Looking back down the track:
As I got to the highest point of my walk, where the track emerged from the forest, I could fully admire the beauty of surrounding landscape, including views to the firth:
Close up:
The mast on the top of Cnoc Udais:
I spent some time wandering around the hilltops to find the best spots for photographing. I still don't know how to use half the functions in the new camera but who cares... It was FUN!
Ben Wyvis:
Beinn a' Bha'ach Ard:
Finally, I walked down to the little loch (Loch nam Bonnach) and sat on a rock on the small stony beach, just sinking in the views around me and listening to the silence... Then I had some more fun and games with the camera
Cnoc Udais and Ben Wyvis in the background from the loch shore:
Such a shame I forgot to take my swimsuit...
That's an interesting hill across the loch. Hmmm... Maybe worth a visit next time?
On the way back I met some locals - they must have felt hooot in their long furs!
I had one more chance to get a good close-up of Kessock Bridge:
Foxgloves again:
Back to Beauly:
Can't see the roof of my house from up here, it's hidden in the trees...
The last look at Beauly Firth before walking down to the village:
I returned home with the precious camera intact, plenty of lovely memories and a satisfaction of a well-spent summer day. Yes, I think I'll steal the toy more often
.
