SUMMER SOLSTICE

One of the many recent sunsets over Loch Morlich

A catch up from over the last few days. Another spell of nice weather. Over the weekend there were a few cloudy periods and an hour or so of light rain. The afternoon and evenings in particular have been beautiful. On Wednesday evening we took a wander down to Loch Morlich and for someone a wee dip. Standing on the lochside in the still air for just 10 minutes was enough for me. The dreaded midge has arrived!

Swimming. Cairn Gorm and Loch Morlich at 9.30pm

10pm

If you're not in the water you need this!

On Thursday it was glorious all day (see above post). I had a terrific day on the mountains.

Pinnacle Gully on Thursday 

Friday was a lovely evening for a strollette around the Sugarbowl area. The wild flowers this summer have been superb so far. I spotted an area of Small White Orchid at around 650m. Never seen this tiny orchid in the Cairngorm mountains before. These are relatively common in The Alpine countries. Nice to see up here. It was a very warm evening, we got back before the sun went down and Mr. Midge made another appearance. At 600m it was still 20 C even though it had gone 7.30pm.

Heath Spotted Orchids

Small White Orchid

A small area of them

Looking fabulous in the light

Beautiful early evening light

Northern Corries at 7.30pm

On Saturday we headed out on the bikes to Lochandorb. Roads are getting busier now but the road from Carrbridge to Lochandorb is much quieter and a beautiful pedal over the Dava Moor in warm sun after a dull morning. Never seen the lochside so busy. Lots of fishing, camping and  even a cravan trying to get down the single track road with plenty of opposition coming the other way. No hope of seeing the Northern Diver in this chaos. So I nipped into the fields away from the mahem and some wonderful Lapwing, Oystercatcher and their chicks.

A trio of Oystercatcher

Even the Common Sandpiper moved away from the water

And the Redshank

Escaping the crowds we were back on the bikes on our way home. Stopped off near Carrbridge as I spotted a beautiful Lapwing and her youngster in one of the fields. Lovely to watch. It was silent after the lochside noise. All I could hear were the Lapwing. Curlew flying overhead and landing in the fields (about 6 of them) with their very distictive and beautiful call and a distant Cuckoo. Peace restored!

lapwing, Female adult

….and her young chick

Northern Marsh Orchid

Cotton Grass great this summer

Hawkweed (not a weed!)

Saturday evening was glorious once again. Far too nice an evening to be stuck indoors so we had a wander down near the Spey and a place I have been visiting for the last 6 years to observe how  'my' Osprey are getting on. This pair (to my knowledge) have never had any chicks as yet which is a real shame. But they are just wonderful to watch. They are not tagged (ringed) and no TV monitors or the like on the nest, no Visitor Centre and no hides to 'get that stunning photograph'. Instead you just stand and admire in a beautiful setting. This evening was special as the light was just perfect. One of the pair was posing perfectly at the top of a tree. Brilliant.

Just landed

Picture Perfect

Keeping an eye out

Just beautiful

Some beautiful wild flowers at lower altitudes too on our stroll back home.

Nature is beautiful

No caption for this one

Biking over the Dava Moor, Saturday

Flowers everywhere

Summer is here!

And so we reach the Summer Slostice. We've had a superb spell of 'summer weather' already. Will the second half be as good? Somehow I think not but who knows. Stay tuned for me of this kinda stuff and maybe soon we can even go visit other mountains. But for now it's The Cairngorms.