Beachcombing on Arran

1. Sannox beach

Beachcombing and rock pooling are great to pass an hour or two regardless of the weather.  It goes without saying the Arran has some beautiful beaches and plenty of them - being an Island! But not having an hour or two and in need of something for my blog, I challenged myself to photograph 10 different things, on the beach, in 15 minutes.  Setting photographic challenges for myself are good practice and loads of fun.

2. Driftwood

Beautiful sandy beaches can be found at Kildonan, Machrie, Sannox, Brodick, Blackwaterfoot and Kilmory (to name a few) but predominantly the beaches are pebble. Sannox just happened to be my port of call for these photo's - possibly not my best choice (sand and cameras are not very compatible) but that was my location so off I set, parking in the lay-by and using the stepping stones to access the beach (3 minutes gone already!)

3. Bivalve seashell (unknown type)

Sand or pebble all have tides which leave debris on the high tide mark, perfect for a bit of extra scrutiny. It's easy just to walk along the tide line and not really see what's under our feet - or maybe we're distracted by the sea birds and scenery?

4. Periwinkle

The day was really quite pleasant, a little breezy with the sun poking out every now and again.  The beach was deserted - not unusual for Arran! Most of the debris looked fairly routine, limpets, razor clam and mussel shells, seaweed, nylon fishing net and bits of drift wood. And I have to say, not a lot of plastic.

5. Whelks and limpets

But then the bright yellow periwinkles caught my eye and some whelks. Periwinkles come in a range of colours from white to orange with red stripes.

6. Seaweed, probably a type of wrack.

On picking through a patch of seaweed I noticed the fine detail on the leaf, which I think are called 'blades'.  Seaweed is a fascinating plant, it can survive extremely saltly water, being submerged for hours in freezing temperatures, drying out in baking sunshine, being battered by storms and feet and manages to survive! The seaweed on the shore varies and the ones found nearer the upper and middle shore have longer blades and often have 'bubbles' or floats.  Those nearer the lower shore have broader blades, but this is a big generalisation! The seaweed I looked at was a type of wrack, but I don't know which one.

7. Worm casts on shell

A bit more digging and I found the remains of a crab.

8. Eye socket of crab shell

Then a dried out starfish with only 4 legs left.

9. Remains of a starfish

And it was back to the seaweed.  This is part of the root system known as a hold fast.  But I'm not duplicating a photo of seaweed here.  I draw your attention to the fine white bone like chains entwined within.  I've no idea what they are but that was photo 10. Challenge complete and within the 15 minutes! Even though I got distracted with some duplicates (see more below).

10. Fine bone like structure entwined in seaweed holdfast.

3a. The beautiful shiny inside of the shell

4a. A white periwinkle

8a.  A crabs claw

Ancient historical carvings on Arran

Some of the rings

Arran is seeped in history and I've previously done a blog on the carvings at Kings Cave which proved popular so here's another site that is less well known.  Just outside of Brodick near the start of the string road I've seen the cups and rings marked on the map and heard the odd mention of them but despite driving past the area most days there is no sign post, unlike other historical sites on Arran.  

More of the rings and a cup

So it wasn't with much expectation that I set out on a rainy day to see if I could find them (yes it was a few weeks ago, as we've not had rain for ages, and then I got distracted and did a blog on the snow).

This figure appears to walk with sticks

I had a map location but nothing more, the track is off the String Road on the left, not long after passing the grave yard.  Twenty yards up the track there is space for 2 – 3 cars to park before a barrier and I continued on foot.  Eyes peeled for anything that may look interesting I continued along the churned up muddy track for about ¼ mile.  The track turns to a small path and within 30 yards the flat stone is reached.

Is this a person with a horse (similar to Kings Caves)?

No fear of missing it, its huge! About 25 foot by 12 foot or more, some of the carvings are several feet tall.  The rock slab is in two main parts both covered in carvings, too many to describe and show photographs of, so only a few to give a taste of the site are shown.

The cups - are these indentations where tools were sharpened?

Although it is difficult to imagine the carvings were done well before the forestry arrived and they actually stand on Stronach Ridge, with views that would have been across the Beinn Nuis and the Goatfell range.

There is something a little phallic about these!

There are several guesses as to the relevance of the carvings, from sun dials to maps and it is believed they originate in the Bronze Age (c 4000 years ago).

This bird like carving is on the side of the rock and previously was covered with vegetation

They are described as cups and rings, but some look like people, and some that have only recently started to be described in texts, are like birds.  I found one that looks like a foot long dragonfly – and I can’t find this described anywhere else, so maybe its recently been uncovered; it is clear that the ground has had some clearance work done.

My 'dragonfly' 

 There even seems to be some rune or Pictish like markings towards the left side of the main rock slab.

Are these Pictish markings?

The carvings were recorded in great detail by Coles in 1901 with descriptions, drawings and some photographic plates (no trees in these!) but there are areas which were still filled with peat and vegetation.  Some of this has now been removed revealing the birds and other carvings.  This description also notes two other carved rocks a short distance away but these are now well under forest plantation.

To me this looks like a row of people, including a horse.

This is a great place to go when its wet as the water highlights the marks (but still easily seen when dry), if visiting in summer take midge repellent, and stick to the path during the stalking season!

The main slab

I have doubts on these which have recently been uncovered - are they Iron Age graffiti? 

There are no preservation measures in place for the rocks, or definitive answers to what they are, so use your imagination and leave the site as you find it.

Mother nature at her best and worst!

House of Machrie

Well scrap the blog I had written and here are some photo's from today - day 4 of the crisis?  It is an island of two halves, the east have no electric and the west has 6 foot of snow, no electric, no phones, and in most cases no water (requires a pump to get it to the houses!).  I managed to get about, with extreme care and some help from the services.

Snow right down to the sea

Day one, Friday, the electric went off about 7am (ish) I was still in bed and I did not get my butt into gear but fully expected it to be restored in a couple of hours.  Without the news I had no idea of the extent of the developing crisis!  By mid afternoon news had drifted through that we would be off overnight, no worries, camping stove out, fire lit and watched a DVD on the laptop and off to bed with a hot waterbottle.

Outside the Lamlash fire station, hot food and drinks for free.

Day two, oh how I wish I had got into gear yesterday, now there is no gas to be had (not of the type I use), and I had to brave a cold shower.  But good news, feeding stations have sprung up,,, free burger and chips! Then I spent the afternoon out on the 'mog' (a new Arran business), and we really got stuck into the snow side of the island.  All normal roads across are shut.

The Mogabout vehicle

The retro phone, next to the defunct digital one!

Day three, Pancakes for breakfast, and I now have a phone.  Ok, its a bit retro, but it doesn't need electric.  Supplies are being helicoptered to Lochranza - roads still blocked.  Got a phone call from the dark side (west of island) - snow plough has cleared some of the road from Blackwaterfoot to Machrie.  Actually a nice day.  Read a horror story before bed, probably not a good idea!

Digging out the sub station

Day four, truly bad hair day!  More pancakes, and off to the dark side!  Thermostat in house reads 5c,,brrr.  Fantastic views and snow on the west side.  Got over before they closed the roads again! Then back to Brodick to try to source a generator for the Dougarie water pump (thank you Billy Bennett), and a lovely shower in the Fire station.

Why the cables come down

But the photo's say it all, snow right down to the sea.  So beautiful, it sort of makes you forget how cold it is!

Seascape with lots of snow

Lots of these popping up..

The dogs after a walk in the snow.

Lots of snow, even deep in the forest.

Kilwinning Abbey

Kilwinning Abbey Ruins

 Well last week I found myself having to kill a few hours while I waited for my car to be mended at the garage in Kilwinning, just across the water from our lovely Isle of Arran.  ‘Killing time’, now that phrase sort of highlighted how many towns around this part of Scotland start with ‘Kil’.  I was in Kilwinning, then there’s Kilmarnock, Kilbride, Kilbirnie, to name a few.  The name ‘Kil’ links back to the Celtic Church, so there was no surprise to find that Kilwinning has an old Abbey. The ‘winning’ part is believed to have been taken from the name of a preacher, Winin, from the 6^th century, who built a church here and was later canonised.

Stone arches are a major feature of the remains

Despite the dull, wet and grey weather, old buildings can be great subjects for photography and so I went off in search of some inspiration.

Decorative window arches

The Abbey has a fascinating history directly linked to the first war for Scottish Independence. Bernard Linton, the Abbot of Kilwinning is credited with writing the Declaration of Arbroath (the first statement of nationhood in history).  He died in 1331 and is buried in a vault under the ruins.

“For we fight, not for glory, nor for riches, nor for honour,

but only and alone for freedom, 

which no good man gives up but with his life"

Detail remains in the stonework

The vaults under the abbey ruins are no longer accessible due to the rebuilding and extension the current Parish Church.  Occasionally archaeological digs still take place.

The new tower - built 1814

The original Abbey had three steeples, two were destroyed during the Reformation and the third by lightening 200 years later.  However, a new tower, known as the Clock tower was built between 1814 – 1816 (at a cost of £1590).  This tower was refurbished by the District Council in 1995 and is now open to visitors at limited times during the summer.  It is even possible to climb the 143 steps to the roof of the tower for great views of Ayrshire (on a fine day).  Needless to say the tower was firmly shut during my visit!

Also of interest to historians (but not photographed) is the ‘Head lodge of Scotland’.  Built in 1140, around the same time as the Abbey, this Lodge was given the number ‘0’.  The Lodge is just round the corner from the Abbey on Main Street.

A more spooky image....

Wild goose chase....

Greylag Geese

The Isle of Arran becomes home to around 400 - 500 of geese over the winter particularly around Shiskine although there is a small resident population of geese in Lamlash and Brodick, although they are known to move around. The migrant geese tend to arrive around the end of October and leave again at the end of March.

Even small flocks can make a considerable noise in flight

The geese tend to advertise their presence when flying with the familiar honking sound we can all recognise, however they are quiet and shy when in the fields.

Waddling away from the camera!

Most of the geese are Greylags and arrive from Iceland but mixed in amongst the flock, Pink-footed and Barnacle geese can often be seen. The Greylag is a direct ancestor of domestic geese and is semi tame in large parts of England.  However the visitors to Arran are of the wilder and more shy variety; they take flight at the slightest hint of danger, always at the sight of a camera and as a minimum turn their backs and waddle off in the opposite direction!

In flight

The geese on Arran are tolerated by the farmers which is not the case in many places where they are considered a nuisance, and in fact cause considerable damage and financial loses to the agricultural economy through grazing. But to balance this down side there are a large number of ‘goose tourists’ that bring wider benefits to communities.

Synchronised flying!

The Isle of Islay is invaded by around 35 000 Barnacle geese each year;  with these sorts of numbers arriving yearly, it should not be a surprise that there is a National GooseManagement group and associated policies!

Pink footed geese 

It is legal to shoot Greylag and Pink footed geese at certain times of the year but not Barnacle geese.