Sunrise was officially at 6.07am this morning, and this was the view across Kilchoan Bay at about 6.50. So, from where we live, the sun is rising just to the left of Ben Hiant. As the year ages, it'll rise further and further up its northern slopes, across its summit, and then steadily down its southern side until it's rising out of Loch Sunart.
The beautiful sunrise heralded a warm day, and the sun stayed out for most of the morning.
We were out exploring new territory today to the southeast of Ockle, in the wild and empty country that is formed by the ancient metamorphic rocks of the Moinian - schists and gneisses with veins of quartz. We were out for over five hours and exhausted when we finally returned to the car, but it was super walking, mostly up small river valleys filled with masses of butterflies. Some of them were showing their age: this tattered Scotch Argus was unwilling to move from his nectar sipping on a Scabius flower.
The Ling,
Calluna vulgaris, is coming into flower, the Bell heather,
Erica cinerea, is already out, and the hills are covered in them, so this is the best time of year to be walking along the lovely path that leads from Ockle to Gortenfern.
Hi Jon, like your choice of area. Have you done the complete Alt Ockle from Ockle to source at Lochan Coire M'haim NM 587663
ReplyDeleteHi Paul - That looks like an super walk. We haven't done it yet but it's on our list for when we're a bit younger. The one we did yesterday, to the top of Beinn Bhreac, was quite enough! Jon
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