Back Onboard - Scotland to Briare

'Haste Ye Back' say the signs in Edinburgh airport's departure lounge. A life lived on the move is one of both happy reunions and sad farewells and we've had plenty during our month in Scotland. It doesn't seem to matter how much time we plan to spend 'at home' it is never enough to see all the family and friends that we want to. So, apologies to those we missed this time. We will certainly hasten back - well, next year anyway.
As I mentioned when I last wrote Scotland turned on the good weather for us again this year so we decided to hire a car and do a 'grand tour', reaquainting ourselves with favourite spots and visiting some new ones. Scotland may seem a small country but it is crammed with a wealth of beautiful places and interesting historical sights. So, I'll let the place speak for itself with just a few pictures of places we haven't been before.
(We are now back onboard L'Avenir in Briare and about to begin the quest for a winter mooring. I know, we've left it a bit late. It's that planning problem again....)

Highland cow at Diurnish

Seal at Gairloch

Ardvreck castle, Assynt

Achmelvich Beach Assynt

Near Durness

Monument to 'the emigrants' at Helmsdale - that's us. In this case the victims of the Clearances - unlike us they had little choice

Eilean Donan Castle

The 'Harry Potter train' from Fort william to Mallaig

Royal Deeside. Glen Muick, Queen Victoria's favourite place.

Fishmarket at Kinlochbervie. A Scottish catch! Most fishing ports along this coast land fish from French and Spanish boats. This is loaded onto French/and Spanish trucks then driven over the tiny Scottish roads and straight to the restaurants of Spain and France.

Dunrobin Castle

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Golden Eagle at Dunrobin Castle

Mallaig Harbour

Plockton - Hamish Macbeth was filmed here