Bourblaige Beach

Yesterday's forecast was for wall-to-wall sunshine and the day didn't disappoint, with midday temperatures hitting 25C, so it was good to spend the morning in the company of Helen, Derryck, June and Geoffrey walking down to the beaches below....

....the cleared clachan of Bourblaige. While we spent time looking at some of the features of the site, which is a scheduled monument and includes an exceptionally well-preserved corn-drying kiln....

....the main purpose of the walk was to take a look at the two abandoned houses which stand right on the beach. For some time I thought they might have been the dwellings of those members of the Bourblaige community who specialised in fishing but, as is described on the Heritage Ardnamurchan website here, there's probably a better explanation.

This is an excellent place for seeing eagles. In the space of a few minutes three came by, a sea eagle and two golden eagles.

We found a grassy bank near the sea which was home to hundreds of these beetles, variously called bracken or garden chafers, which seem to swarm during a brief period each year.

This is a wonderfully peaceful section of coast, with a series of sweeping bays separated by low, rocky headlands, a place where one can spend a day and not see another human being.