May 12 & 13: The Hollow Mountain & The Puffins

Hello friends |

We woke belatedly on Tuesday.  The heavy rainfall overnight had meant that the flow as well as the waterfalls were fifty-fifty heavier than they had been the previous twenty-four hours , as well as it was quite a meditative sound.  I dragged the blankets out into the lounge room as well as Nicholas poked the smoldering embers from terminal night’s dismiss , getting the dismiss going again. 
Vincent came as well as sat downwards yesteryear the dismiss , Black Cat taking his exit to become on parole.  We hadn’t had much planned except a hearty breakfast , as well as decided to caput to Cruachan Mountain (kru-kan mountain) to receive got a facial expression at the hydro flora that they construct into Ben Cruachan inwards the 60’s.

They’d made a huge dam upward inwards a mount corrie , as well as allowed the H2O to run through pipes within the mount as well as downwards to the loch below to generate power.  At times when they didn’t demand much ability , they could contrary it , as well as suck H2O dorsum upward to the dam.  This made me worry virtually the fish inwards the dam , but the guide explained that they had nets to halt anything getting sucked upward before I could ask.

Inside the mount they were long tunnels , large plenty to allow a double-decker , as well as a huge bedroom , large plenty to gibe the Tower of London inside.  They housed the iv large pony motors , which Nicholas tells me start the generators.  The utilization of the pony (or starter) motor agency that they tin can receive got ability to homes inwards virtually 28 seconds.  If they exactly allow the H2O inwards as well as allow the generators larn themselves going , it’d accept virtually 2 minutes.

Cruachan doesn’t run continuously , entirely at peak times when the grid needs a boost , but it tin can ability the Britain at peak unloosen energy for something similar xvi hours without needing to suck H2O dorsum up.  Amazing.

They had a nifty model of the within of the generator , which Nicholas liked as well as I didn’t actually sympathise , as well as they also had a wooden mural depicting the legend of the mount as well as the Queen using a scepter to convey electricity to the province (the Queen pulled the switch that turned the generator on).  It reminded me of the Assyrian fine art nosotros saw at the British Museum that depicted kings as well as leaders doing things that other people manifestly did.  I form of honey monarchical propaganda , fifty-fifty though I’m non into the monarchy.  I did notice Prince Harry was looking for somebody to receive got his babies though.

Back at the trouble solid , nosotros had to create a large overhaul as well as a large sort of all our things.  The boat trip was on for Midweek (I’m currently on the ferry to Mull!) as well as on Th nosotros are dropping off the motorcar , thus nosotros had to reorganize all the loose bits nether the seats as well as floating around inwards the ether.  This took longer than expected as well as at 20 minutes yesteryear midnight , Cara decided to become walkabout as well as Nicholas was running around the yard with a caput torch on trying to uncovering her.  Black Cat didn’t specially tending , as well as was sitting beside the dismiss , which was eating all the pamphlets as well as magazines we’d picked upward as well as didn’t demand anymore.

We did halt yesteryear Castle Stalker to accept some pictures , because we'd been driving yesteryear it almost every day.

Black Cat

This forenoon nosotros were upward early on (too early) as well as Nicholas had a speed shower spell I packed upward the create clean clothing as well as organised our backpack for the day.  We forced downwards breakfast as well as left after than anticipated , thus sped along the windy route towards Oban.  Nicholas parked the motorcar inwards the long-term bay , spell I collected a ringlet of tickets from the tour company.  This was our starting fourth dimension pre-planned tour twenty-four hours (possibly last) as well as nosotros were to see iv islands: Mull , Lunga , Staffa as well as Iona.  Mull is the stopover isle that takes you lot to the proficient stuff.  Lunga is PUFFIN ISLAND.  Staffa is a geologists dream.   Iona is where Columba stopped over on his way to mainland Scotland on his majority conversion , but they also receive got some prissy beaches.

We got the ferry to Mull as well as directly jumped on a tour double-decker with lots of other tourists , most of them American.  I barbarous asleep after virtually 3 minutes as well as Nicholas entertained himself yesteryear taking embarrassing pictures of me.  The double-decker takes you lot from 1 destination of Mull to the other , as well as this takes virtually an hour.  I’m non certain why it takes thus long , but it does.  At Fionphort (which I had been reading every bit Finport but is manifestly Fyon-fort) you lot boundary on a smaller boat as well as they ferry you lot around to the islands.  We were doing the biggest , best as well as longest tour , thus nosotros got on the starting fourth dimension boat.

The master copy onboard had a golden Labrador to assist him steer , as well as at that spot was some other bloke who to a greater extent than oft than non hung around as well as helped elevator the uncoordinated passengers (ie. me) on as well as off the boat at the stops.  Before we’d fifty-fifty got to our starting fourth dimension isle , which was Lunga , he slowed downwards as well as pointed out a little colony of seals to us.  They were lying , some half-submerged , on the rocks , similar large , fatty , spotty bananas.  I told Nicholas this.

“Ah , aye ,” he said , “is that their scientific name?  Big Fat Spotted Banana Seal.”

“Yes ,” I replied.  “The Atlanticus Bananicus Pinnipedicus is its proper name.”  Nicholas rolled his eyes at me as well as ate a chocolate-covered muesli bar.

A dark bun , the starting fourth dimension creature nosotros spotted when nosotros arrived on Lunga

A wee sea parrot

The starting fourth dimension halt was Lunga , as well as it was the best stop.  When the human driving the boat says , “there’s a colony of virtually 3000 puffins” you lot call upward that you’ll in all likelihood consider lots of them diving around as well as catching fish , as well as a handful of them mightiness live nesting on land.  If you lot idea that , similar I did , you lot would live overwhelmingly , incredibly wrong.  From the instant nosotros scrambled upward the slippery rocks as well as flora ourselves on the headland , nosotros were bombarded yesteryear fatty lilliputian balls of feathers with orangish beaks as well as large orangish feet.

Puffins aren’t every bit good bothered yesteryear humans.  In fact , when humans are around they tend to relax a lilliputian chip , because it agency that sea eagles as well as things won’t come upward as well as prey upon them.  We could larn quite closed to them without bothering them at all.  So , we’ve exactly rock-hopped over moisture rocks as well as seaweed as well as scrambled upward some rocks to uncovering ourselves on the headland – notwithstanding solitary at this indicate because nosotros raced ahead – confronted yesteryear a proficient 50 puffins.  Before nosotros left for the tour , Nicholas as well as I had bet how many puffins nosotros would see; I said 50 , Nicholas said 20 ,000.  I won , but it was a closer margin than expected.

Lunga

A bunny with a grass beard

Knowing that this apartment headland would presently live covered inwards other tourists , nosotros continued walking through the mud as well as over boulders as well as through the grass until nosotros came to some other clearing.  Several rabbits had been hopping around beside us , including 1 really pretty lilliputian dark rabbit , as well as Nicholas was taking pictures of a chocolate-brown rabbit eating some grass when I called him over.

I was standing inwards forepart of a mini isle , exactly off Lunga , that was to a greater extent than of a sea stack pointing out of the Blue Planet , but to a greater extent than square-shaped.  It was cliffs on all sides , as well as every available nook , cranny as well as cleft housed a razorbill.  They were squawking as well as crying out as well as making a fuss , as well as you lot could discern several puffins with the throng yesteryear their vibrant feet.  Several regal cormorants were swooping out of the sea as well as landing inwards forepart of us , opening their beaks wide.

Literally thousands of razorbills

We changed direction when nosotros happened on some aggressive , nesting cormorants as well as nosotros feared they mightiness abandon their nests , as well as walked downwards to a little inlet where 4 or five lilliputian puffins sat inwards a trace , similar that Pink Floyd album embrace with all the painted ladies.  I was sitting quietly , watching them preen themselves as well as stare curiously at us newcomers , spell Nicholas took pictures.  It wasn’t long until five puffins became 20 , as well as 4 to a greater extent than cormorants joined them , as well as and thus a dyad of razorbills every bit well.  I inched closer to their lilliputian grouping , who were on the really border of the cliffy inlet , as well as 1 especially curious lilliputian puffin edged closer to me until nosotros were less than 2 feet apart.  After almost one-half an hr of watching the puffins as well as cormorants as well as razorbills flitting inwards as well as around us as well as beingness thus un-bothered yesteryear us that they tucked inwards for asleep , other tourist cottoned on as well as nosotros were joined yesteryear a handful of other camera-wielding holiday-goers.  It was pretty magical , as well as actually ignited a honey for the fatty lilliputian fuzzy birds.  They’re thus small.  They’re similar lilliputian toys!

From Lunga nosotros got dorsum onto the boat as well as sped downwards to Staffa , which was an isle gifted yesteryear a married adult man on behalf of his married adult woman to the Scottish Trust.  For her birthday.  I’m yet to come across a adult woman who would similar somebody to give her isle to somebody else for her ain birthday , but I don’t receive got a plethora of islands to spare.  Staffa is a pretty amazing isle , though.  It’s famous for a serial of basalt caves , formed yesteryear erupting volcanoes on Mull.  Fingal’s Cave , which is the most famous of the caves , features 3 dissimilar basalt formations , including the columnar form , as well as looks to a greater extent than similar a master copy craftsman sculpted it than moulded from lava.  Mother nature is badass.

We dubbed this isle Sombrero Island , because nosotros weren't certain what it was called.

Staffa 

We climbed as well as stepped as well as slipped over the columns until nosotros reached the oral cavity of the cave , which was tall as well as deep as well as broad – to a greater extent than similar entering a cathedral than a sea cave.  Nick whistled to examination out the acoustics.  They were top-notch.  The H2O was brilliant turquoise as well as shimmering nether the Sun , but every bit it compaction its way to the dorsum of the cave , it began to facial expression dark as well as mysterious , the cave casting all way of foreign shadows inwards the depths.  Nick took some recordings of the waves , as well as thus nosotros listened to the eerie current of air music he had recorded , as well as they sounded similar whales calling out to us playing over each other.

The terminal isle on our lilliputian risk was Iona , which had a greater emphasis on Christianity than its pale , glittery beaches , which I call upward was an oversight on their part.  Lots of people opted to receive got a beer as well as an H2O ice cream at the many , many cafes that littered the tiny isle , but nosotros went walking through some crofts to larn to the Monk’s Beach , where Vikings massacred a whole bunch of monks.  We considered stopping yesteryear the abbey , but it was a paid entry , as well as nosotros weren’t keen plenty on St Columba to pay it a visit. 

Back on Mull , our driver gave us a chip of a guided tour , giving us the low-down on every famous individual who’s e'er been to Mull (Damien Lewis , Sean Connery , Catherine Zeta Jones as well as Michael Douglas) , every criminal offence that’s e'er been committed (a human grew cannabis to soothe his arthritis once) as well as telling us stories virtually the wellness tending inwards Mull.  Apparently it’s excellent.  The most interesting affair was in all likelihood virtually the Highland cattle , which are most unremarkably naturally the dark diversity , but the Queen liked them chocolate-brown , thus at nowadays at that spot are to a greater extent than oft than non chocolate-brown ones.  Go figure.

The existent boat master

The Nunnery

We arrived dorsum inwards Oban , tired as well as in all likelihood to a greater extent than freckled than when nosotros left , but drove on until nosotros striking Loch Lomond where we’d live planned to kip for the night.  We caught a really killer sunset when nosotros took a incorrect plough on the roundabout , clouds burning highlighter pinkish inwards the distance.  A few days before , we’d noticed text on the map , with monuments as well as identify names , which only read “Rest as well as Be Thankful” , thus nosotros drove there.  It’s supposed to live a sentry , but nosotros missed it as well as slept inwards a large passing place.  When nosotros woke upward as well as drove dorsum way nosotros came , nosotros saw Rest as well as live Thankful , but at that spot was already a nutrient truck setting upward , thus it’s in all likelihood proficient nosotros didn’t slumber there.

One of the many castles belonging to the MacLeans on Mull

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June 2 & 3: Stave churches & hiking on the largest glacier in mainlandEurope

Hello friends |

On Tuesday morning time nosotros woke upward alongside the Sun – non that it e'er fully went downward – as well as headed downward our lilliputian mount to the town of Sogndal.  Sogndal isn’t a peculiarly large town , but it’s a lot larger than the other scattered settlements nosotros had seen along the fjords.  Halfway downward the colina nosotros stumbled upon a ruby stave church building , which actually laid the musical note for the twenty-four hr menstruum , which was to live filled alongside visits to the beautiful , fairytale-style buildings.

After picking upward groceries as well as repacking the bags , nosotros caput to the tourist data centre – a counter at the halt of a takeaway as well as ice-cream store , where nobody spoke dandy English linguistic communication – as well as got on a coach that would conduct hold us to our hire car.  Despite wanting to , a) fossil oil it a lilliputian combat as well as , b) run across Kingdom of Norway on the inexpensive , nosotros needed to hire a machine for a twain of days for an activeness nosotros had planned for Wednesday. 

We hopped inward the machine – Nicholas repeating to himself over as well as over that he needed to drive on the right-hand side of the route – as well as laid out to notice some other Stave church.  One incorrect plough as well as several tunnels subsequently , nosotros were inward a graveyard that surrounded some other of the foreign structures.  The tombstones inward the graveyard dated dorsum a few hundred years , but in that location were many recent ones too.  While nosotros stood roughly taking pictures , 1 immature man child came over as well as polished a fresh headstone.  This made us experience a lilliputian combat similar bad tourists , thus nosotros left.

Snaking our agency along the tourist route side past times side to the fjord , through tunnel after tunnel , nosotros managed to encompass a lot to a greater extent than Earth than nosotros were able to alongside packs.  This machine had heated seats – the holy grail of machine features – as well as nosotros position them on despite non beingness peculiarly cold.

After driving along every bit good many narrow , windy roads (on the incorrect side of the route , alongside non plenty passing places if nosotros happened to run across some other traveller) nosotros made our agency to a Stave church building listed on the tourist brochure.  The Urnes Stave Church is a UNESCO listed site (I experience similar Kingdom of Norway is basically comprised of UNESCO listed sites?) because of iii reasons:

1.     It’s the oldest Stave church building soundless standing inward Norway

2.     It’s the oldest wooden edifice soundless standing inward Norway

3.     It’s the oldest wooden edifice soundless standing inward the world

We rocked upward at the Stave church building subsequently than anticipated , but didn’t actually conduct hold whatsoever intention to instruct inward anyway , thus weren’t looking at the time.  When nosotros pulled upward the machine as well as went to the lilliputian trace solid where the tickets were beingness sold , but a human shut the door on us.  Nicholas knocked on the door.

The Urnes Stave Church

“Is the Stave church building soundless open?” he asked.

“No , it’s merely shut ,” he replied.

A pretty middle-aged adult woman alongside a long blonde plait interjected , maxim that she could conduct hold us into the church building , despite the fact that she’d merely locked it up.

“They tin terminate conduct hold 10 minutes ,” the human told her.

“They tin terminate conduct hold every bit long every bit I give them.”  She turned to Nicholas.  “You conduct hold to live certain that you lot desire to instruct inward ,” she said.

Nicholas looked at me as well as I nodded , thus nosotros paid our fare as well as wandered upward to the (very) onetime , wooden church.  While other visitors were given a pair of brochures as well as left to peruse at their leisure , the lady followed us upward as well as started giving us a thorough guided tour.  She walked us roughly as well as explained the carvings , the edifice techniques as well as how the church building was arranged.  The argue the wood was lasting thus long , she explained was because the people who erected the church building had produced the wood to live self-preserving.   15-20 years earlier they felled the tree , they cutting off its limbs as well as left the tree to make sap that would course of report through the tree as well as add together an internal layer of resin to the wood. 

My favourite carving at the Urnes Stave Church - a horse/dog capturing a wingless dragon

Very lilliputian had been done inward modernia to keep the site , because it was thus good preserved , but a few years agone they institute 1 side of the edifice was sinking. They came inward , fixed the sinking business office as well as catch their undertaking was done.  However , because the belltower was added to the church building roughly 600 years after its initial create , the belltower was instantly off-center as well as they had to ready that too.

We thanked her profusely as well as and thus caput dorsum onto the route to run across Feigumfossen – a 218m waterfall , considered 1 of Norway’s most beautiful.  Despite the pelting , slippery mud as well as moisture mossy rocks (all a recipe for disaster) nosotros climbed upward as well as upward to run across the waterfall upward close.  The woods nosotros walked through felt to a greater extent than similar a subtropical rainforest than anything you’d hold off to notice inward Norway.

I’ve seen a few of the waterfalls nosotros conduct hold inward Commonwealth of Australia , as well as we’ve seen a few on our travels , but none thus high thus close.  The H2O appeared to autumn inward tiresome motion , falling over itself as well as into the puddle at its base.  The violently flowing river at its base of operations seemed to current at a completely dissimilar speed.  It looked frantic compared to the meditative current from the oral fissure of the waterfall.

Nicholas , beingness the clever lilliputian rockhopper that he is , clamoured upward the rocks to the base of operations of the waterfall , becoming thus little as well as thus dwarfed that he disappeared completely , blending into rocks twice his height.  It’s non such a stretch that people believe giant humanoid trolls alive inward these places.

We institute this wedged betwixt some branches on our agency back

We bought some huckleberry jam from this tiny self-serve kiosk on our agency back.

Perhaps because it was raining heavily , or mayhap it was because nosotros wanted to relive our fourth dimension inward Scotland (or , to a greater extent than probable , mayhap nosotros were feeling lazy) nosotros slept inward the machine nearby , shielding our faces from the midnight halflight.

The next morning time was a morning time I’d been waiting for since nosotros planned our Kingdom of Norway trip inward Oslo – nosotros were heading out to kayak through a glacial lake as well as hike on the largest glacier inward mainland Europe!

The catch came nearly after a conversation nosotros had alongside our hosts inward Moss , who pointed us inward the direction of a glacier nigh Bødo.  There was a lot of glacial hiking in that location , but none that agree inward our cost range.  Then nosotros institute Ice Troll , who offered the form of trip nosotros were after.

Our guide , Sam , was a Kiwi who got his experience climbing glaciers inward New Zealand.  Most of the glaciers in that location had melted to the holler for of becoming inaccessible , thus he’d come upward over to Kingdom of Norway to guide hither instead.  He was pretty excellent.  He piled us into the dodgy-looking Ice Troll van as well as drove us downward to the glacial lake that pools at the base of operations of the glacier thus that nosotros could kayak across it to the glacier itself.

We rock-hopped as well as climbed upward , until nosotros reached a dingy , sandy piece of snowfall , where nosotros could strap on our crampons as well as select handgrip of some ice-axes to conduct hold alongside us.  I confessed to Sam that I wasn’t super confident on H2O ice , as well as when he harnessed our grouping together he allow me instruct behind him.

The other v people inward our grouping were American as well as all had a lot to a greater extent than coin than nosotros did , but this meant nosotros could bond alongside Sam over our mutual wild camping ground experiences.

The glacier itself had many to a greater extent than crevasses than I’d expected , which all looked to live lit past times a vivid bluish light.  Sam also pointed out a few wells he referred to every bit Moulins , which nosotros could climb as well as abseil inward if nosotros did an overnight trip.  Nicholas as well as I decided to pencil 1 inward for some other twelvemonth inward September.

 A lilliputian H2O ice cave nether the glacier

A moulin - did you lot know you lot tin terminate abseil inward these things? Definitely keen to give that a go.

We followed Sam along inward unmarried file as well as occasionally he had to carve out a few steps for us alongside his H2O ice axe.  I generally used mine to ease myself , past times sticking it into the H2O ice walls.   A twain of times I used it to clit myself out of lilliputian H2O ice bridges I slipped into , created when soft snowfall falls over the oral fissure of a crevasse.  I wasn’t the exclusively 1 to autumn into these repeatedly , as well as I was glad nosotros were all connected past times rope , thus nobody could autumn every bit good far.

I came to prefer walking on the H2O ice to walking on soft snowfall – as well as mayhap fifty-fifty on grassy mountains – because in that location was thus lilliputian to instruct far the agency , as well as it was thus tardily to carve your ain path.  Crampons are pretty nifty inventions , as well as I decided I could definitely instruct into to a greater extent than ice-based activities (even if they were a lilliputian combat terrifying sometimes).

For likely iii hours nosotros were led roughly on the H2O ice , alongside Sam producing a thermos of hot chocolate at 1 holler for , as well as all of us sitting downward on the mutual frigidity snowfall to conduct hold dejeuner at another.  Sam talked nearly the dark sediment that collected inward the snowfall as well as mentioned how adept it was for the peel , too.  Naturally I was curious , as well as smeared it all over my olfactory organ as well as cheeks on the agency dorsum downward the glacier.

The pelting held off for most of the twenty-four hr menstruum hiking as well as luckily in that location was almost no current of air – all inward all , a perfect twenty-four hr menstruum for beingness outdoors.  We were , all the same , grateful to live retiring to the machine that nighttime , because our shoes as well as socks were soaked through.

 We left the tour as well as thanked Sam , who gave us the details of some friends inward Republic of Iceland who ran ice-climbing tours , as well as took the scenic drive dorsum to Sogndal.  Some (most) of the surrounding tourist roads were soundless shut off for snowfall clearing , thus nosotros had to cutting the drive brusk as well as retire off-road at the base of operations of some snowy mountains.  The conditions turned almost every bit shortly every bit nosotros got inward the machine , as well as nosotros took that every bit a sign to cosy upward within instead of pitching a tent.

So much snow!

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