A good read, and some superb shots. The error code on the 50D is probably shutter failure - had it on my 40D some years back and is a common fault.

 

Midges - this is the reason why I head north of the border only early in the year or in a few days time, for example There will still be some on Mull, and they usually get me as I scuttle down to the shore to photo the otters, and in the excitement, forget my protective clothing...

 

I took my Yeti up Applecross in the snow - incredible views from the top, and a few golden eagles zooming around too. I wonder if my Yeti is perhaps a northern breed, as its aqua blue colour matches the colour of my legs after a holiday in Scotland...

When I pick up my new Yeti (the coundown timer on my laptop screen tells me 1 month 22 days), then I will satisfy an ambition to drive from Gloucestershire to half a mile north of a small village called Tain on Dornoch Firth. (540 miles).

 

Those in the know will appreciate what I will find there

 

Rod

So glad you had a good time, James.  Lovely pics . 

 

Did you visit Nanny's Tearoom in Sheildaig?  Or has it gone?  (See #44 at http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/236841-scotland-anyone/ )

yes we did go to Nanny's and had raspberry ice cream which was really nice

Will you (Rod) be in a fit state to drive anywhere after getting there though? If it's what I think you're on about...

Never underestimate the highland midge 

 

Just back from two weeks in the Netherlands and Germany and their midges are worse, both myself and my son came out in huge oozing lumps wherever we got bitten. One on my leg is still red and swollen two weeks after I got bitten. My wife was unaffected and she normally reacts badly to the domestic midge. But she'#s from Ulster so perhaps it's a Scottish thing to react to Dutch / German midgies.

Finnish midges are as bad. Years ago a work colleague and I were over in Helsinki for a meeting, and were invited to the boss' cabin out in the sticks for traditional Finnish entertainment.

 

After the trip out to the floating pub, we returned to the cabin and got rather clattered on wine, vodka and schnapps, and then took part in the sauna tradition. Basically you boil in there for a while, inhale alcoholic fumes off of the coals, before running naked through the woods and diving into one of the many lakes.

 

Was a laugh at the time, until the next morning when we discovered midges / mozzies had been tucking in as we scuttled about the woods. I had over 40 bites per leg, and each one became a swollen blister later in the day, which was fab, when it was about 35C, and I had to wear black jeans to hide my hideous legs. Was bl**dy agony.

Just think where they could have bitten you?

Would have had to be on the way to the lakes - was rather cold in them

yes we did go to Nanny's and had raspberry ice cream which was really nice

I Nanny still serving tea from the little blue shack, or has she finally given in and built the new tearoom?

I love that tea shop.

Nanny's, May 2012: