Monday 28 March 2016

Rainblobs...

... my word for a blob of rainbow. I am sure their creation is in the same way as a rainbow - sunlight being refracted by raindrops. But early and late in the day, when the sun is still bright but low, and there are showers about, it is not too usual to see a blob of rainbow colour below the cloud.

Here's a rather faint one photographed this morning...

Rainblob and Healabhal Bheag from Roskhill

And another that I spotted from NW Skye, a while ago...

Rainblob over the Ascrib Islands
Closer view - the skerry next to the blob is An t-Iasgair (Gaelic for 'The Fisher')

Friday 25 March 2016

A Skye Surprise - And a Mystery!

I spent a couple of days at Rowan Cottage this week, attending to a few jobs and a bit of painting. All my tasks were complete by mid-afternoon yesterday, so I took myself off for a bit of a walk. I walked the ‘old road’ between Stollamus and Luib – still a reasonable track, but it was left to disappear back into the moor when the motor car came to Skye and new routes were created – probably in about the 1920s.

I started from the Luib end. I have not walked the full length of the track before. It affords some lovely views into Strath Mor and over Loch na Cairidh and Caolas Scalpay.

But the big surprise was to come across a ruined church… How did I not know of this before? In a straight line, it stands only a mile or so from Rowan Cottage, though the shape of the land hides it from view from the modern road. The only approach to the ruin is by a rough path, ankle-deep in bog in places. The church bears a build date of 1906, so it is not all that old, but even so, I cannot find anything about it from my usual sources on the web. Architecturally, it is attractive, but not a remarkable building, and there is no evidence of an associated burial ground, but I am still surprised that there appears to be no information available as to its history. I will have to make some local enquiries!

Here are a few of my photos of my visit…

Allt na Luibe
View towards Strath Mor
A lonely ruin
A closer view of the ruined church
Inside the church - the altar end
Caolas Scalpay from the track