Another photograph from up North. Pluscarden Abbey is possibly in one of the most peaceful settings I have ever been in – even though it is not very far from Elgin and Forres.

It is easy to understand how one could lead a contemplative life there.

Culbin Forest, Stretching for 14 Kilometres along the south shore of the Moray Firth, was originally planted by the Forestry Commission between 1922 and 1931 in order to stabilise the sand dunes there. It was mainly Scots and Corsican Pines, but as the felling and replanting takes place, a more diverse forest is being created.

Although there are some areas of dense forest, a large proportion has been thinned out giving the kind of area you see above with wild flowers etc being encouraged to grow. There are also wet areas and ponds to help encourge a wide diversity of animal and insect species.

One of the stabilised sand dunes found in the forest, the Lady Culbin, reaches 29 metres in height whilst the Parabolic Dunes of Maviston reach 15 metres, but have flanks up to 400 metres long making them amongst the largest of their kind in Europe.

Apologies for not posting yesterday – we went to a dinner last night and didn’t get back till early this morning – straight to bed!

We’re up North again and stopped in at the RSPB site at Boat of Garten to view the ospreys – very good they were too!

However we also managed to see an increasingly rare animal and even get a picture. Red squirrels (our native species) are increasingly being ousted by grey squirrels (the imported species) and many areas of Scotland no longer have any red squirrels left. There are considerable arguments going on as to the best way to ensure the red squirrel survival.

As an added bonus we also saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker eating peanuts from a feeder – most peculiar sight!

I know I said yesterday that it was the last photograph of Straiton, but here is one more – of the church.

A final posting regarding Straiton. This picture is from the North end of the village to some ‘new’ houses built around the 1900s.

Another picture of the village of Straiton, this time looking northwards along the main street from the same vantage point. The village Kirk is just down the hill behind the large tree on the center-left.

The white building on the left is the McCandlish Hall.

The photograph was taken from virtually outside the Buck Tearoom – well worth a visit if you are in the area!

The village of Straiton is considered by many as the prettiest in Ayrshire, even managing to look good on a fairly bleak day like today. This view is looking southwards along the main street towards where the old manse stands, at the opposite end of the village from the church!

High on the hill behind you can make out the monument to Hunter-Blair. It’s a steep climb up to it, but on a good day the views are outstanding.

I was at an excellent 21st birthday ceilidh last night and I felt in no fit state today to go photo gathering, so here is one I took a few days ago in Culzean.

Although there are nowhere near as many fishing boats as there used to be on the Clyde, you still get one or two inshore boats looking for crab and lobster.

This conversion is in St Leonards Road in Ayr. It was a school (still trying to find out when built, name, etc….), then Council Offices and then redeveloped.

Luckily rather than tearing it down and building modern, undistinguished buildings, they left the shell of the building intact and rebuilt internally.

I think the end result gives private housing which has character.