Date of walk: 3/8/19
Strathy Bay I, Sutherland, Scotland.
Strathy Bay II, Sutherland, Scotland.
Strathy Bay strata I, Sutherland, Scotland.
Strathy Bay III, Sutherland, Scotland.
Crossing the border into Caithness, the wildflowers are in full bloom, forming a purple sea of heather and thistles offset by the fluttering of Common Blue butterflies. But today is all about puffins; as I’ve heard there is a site nearby where they nest, and I’ve never seen the wonderful creature before. The first indication I’m lucky is spotting a photographer with a large white lens on the distant sea cliffs. When I get closer, there are thousands of birds; many are standing just a few metres away on the cliff tops showing their colourful beaks. The photographer is Ian Herd, and he knows the site like the back of his hand. “They’ll be gone in a couple of days, you’re lucky to have caught them.” The space to get a good angle is limited, so we share a narrow patch of flattish ground above the cliffs as the light fades, the photography is thrilling, but I’m get devoured by midges. Even after applying repellent, I end up wiping a black tide of the beasties from my face. We both don headsets and keep photographing until the light levels are too low.
Strathy Bay strata II, Sutherland, Scotland.
Strathy Bay IV, Sutherland, Scotland.
Strathy Bay V, Sutherland, Scotland.
Strathy Bay VI, Sutherland, Scotland.
Summer meadow above Strathy Bay, Sutherland, Scotland.
Sea stacks at Portskerra, Sutherland, Scotland.
Portskerra, Sutherland, Scotland.
Melvich Bay I, Sutherland, Scotland.
First glimpse of Dounreay power nuclear power station from Melvich Bay, Sutherland, Scotland.
Melvich Bay II, Sutherland, Scotland.
Cliffs by Melvich Bay, Sutherland, Scotland.
Melvich Bay III, Sutherland, Scotland.
Chris & Jet walking the entire UK coast, including all islands, in aid of military charity SSAFA. Melvich Bay, Sutherland, Scotland.
Rubha Beag from Rubha Ghoiridh, Sutherland, Scotland.
Strathy Point from Rubha Ghoiridh, Sutherland, Scotland.
This rock stack on the Drum Hollistan coast is known as Lady Bighouse, Sutherland, Scotland.
Coastline at Wester Clett, Caithness, Scotland.
Wester Clett, Caithness, Scotland.
The valley at Wester Clett that marks the border between Sutherland and Caithness.
Puffins at Wester Clett I, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffin at Wester Clett II, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffins at Wester Clett III, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffin at Wester Clett IV, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffin at Wester Clett V, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffins at Wester Clet VI, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffins at Wester Clett VII, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffins at Wester Clett VII, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffin at Wester Clett VIII, Caithness, Scotland.
Puffin at Wester Clett IX, Caithness, Scotland, August 2019.
Sunset towards Srathy Point from Middle Clett, Caithness, Scotland.
Sunset from Middle Clett, Caithness, Scotland.
No sleepwalking tonight. Camp at Middle Clett, Caithness, Scotland.
That’s the darkest peaty drinking water yet.
Ian Herd, photographer and puffin expert showing one of his photos.”They’ll be gone in a couple of days, you’re lucky to have caught them” he tells me.
The Perimeter is a labour of love: it’s taken 454 days of walking, hundreds of hours of planning and thousands of hours of editing. If you have the means, I’d appreciate your support by buying a print or contributing so I can continue to share the project with you.
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Wow it’s really a different walk now, isn’t it?
You were lucky to see the puffins – not so lucky to meet the Caithness midgies though!