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In the heartlands of Moray, there is a chasm cut by the swift white waters of the River Findhorn, called Randolph’s Leap. It is an impressive sight to see, even without the backdrop of the story that played out there many centuries ago. It is a tale of feuding families, civil war, a bloody battle and the brutalities connected with the medieval siege of a castle. Set within the time frame of the Scottish Wars of Independence, it is a tale of a family in decline and the seeming rise of another family. As Robert the Bruce rose in power, he appointed his nephew, Thomas Randolph, as Earl of Moray, with the purpose of crushing his bitter rivals once and for all. There are tales of a haunted castle in the aftermath of the events which occurred at the great forests of Darnaway, located just outside the town of Forres. In a final insult to the defeated Comyns, Randolph’s Leap is named after the Earl of Moray and not the young Comyn who jumped across the Findhorn to save his life.
The Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) is a colorful resident of large areas of Australia, wherever there is mistletoe. This male put on a display of fluffing out his feathers while I photographed him.
Peregrine Falcon high up on the cliffs overlooking the sea.
Note that this is the mate of the Peregrine in the earlier picture.
If I had to guess, I'd say this is the male and the other one is the female...
On Sunday I visited Inveraray for some fresh air and a walk
On returning to the car the sky started to change colour from pinks to purples quite an amazing site.
by the time I grabbed the camera from the car the best of the colours were fading but the whole of the sky was this beautiful purple glow
So I grabbed a quick shot of the vital spark
One of the highlights of a week long trip to Svalbard was this confident little fox who turned up right outside our hostel in Longyearbyen. Happy to hang around and pose for a while so that I could get a whole set of very different images :)
Yesterday a beautiful hoar frost in Epping Forest and today snow which persisted under perfectly still conditions.
A healing light?
This angel in the afternoon sun cast a spell on me…
But was someone looking over my shoulder?
Gaining numbers but still need more to make an impact. This area is full of the natural UK species and so far has not been contaminated by the bulkier Spanish variety.
Disagreement over nesting rights between two herons. Always remarkable to se these huge birds land on flimsy branches.
Watatunga wildlife park lies just outside Kings Lynn and gets 5 stars out of 5 on Trip Advisor. I visited knowing they had Great bustards and thought the visit marvellous. We were blessed with beautiful weather which was a real bonus as one is ferried about the site in an open trailer exposed to the elements so adverse conditions would necessitate protective clothing. But it's a wonderful place stuffed full of wildlife in natural surroundings.
A beautiful crisp and cold winters day; great walking weather providing you are layered up. Wish I'd put some gloves on!!!
Book your hut, turn up, sit by the sea, eat your pasty, promise to finally decorate the guest bedroom when you get home (same as you did last year)…
Swanage, Dorset UK
(SOOC exposure, small crop)
Common darters mating - the male hangs on to the female (under) to prevent other males trying to have their way instead of him.
We took a quick visit to Manchester's Christmas Markets yesterday... in the rain. I took my camera of course, and chuckled to myself when I saw this shot. It reminds me of photos on the following blog: medium.com/vantage/every-stare-directed-at-a-street-photo... (well worth a visit!).
Thanks for looking!
Part of my 'Duffus Castle through the seasons' project.
The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch. This was originally a more defensive position than it appears today, long after the loch was drained.
The motte is a huge man-made mound, with steep sides and a wide ditch separating it from the bailey. The whole site is enclosed by a water-filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure.
Duffus Castle was built by a Flemish man named Freskin, who came to Scotland in the first half of the 1100s. After an uprising by the ‘men of Moray’ against David I in 1130, the king sent Freskin north as a representative of royal authority.
He was given the estate of Duffus, and here he built an earthwork-and-timber castle. Freskin’s son William adopted the title of ‘de Moravia’ – of Moray. By 1200, the family had become the most influential noble family in northern Scotland, giving rise to the earls of Sutherland and Clan Murray.
In about 1270, the castle passed to Sir Reginald Cheyne the Elder, Lord of Inverugie. He probably built the square stone keep on top of the motte, and the curtain wall encircling the bailey. In 1305, the invading King Edward I of England gave him a grant of 200 oaks from the royal forests of Darnaway and Longmorn, which were probably used for the castle’s floors and roofs.
By 1350, the castle had passed to a younger son of the Earl of Sutherland through marriage. It may have been then that the keep was abandoned, possibly because it was beginning to slip down the mound, and a new residence established at the north of the bailey.
Viscount Dundee, leader of the first Jacobite Rising, dined in the castle as a guest of James, Lord Duffus in 1689, prior to his victory against King William II’s government forces at Killiecrankie. Soon after, Lord Duffus moved to the nearby Duffus House. The castle quickly fell into decay.
Freddie & Gus (14)
So how does a terrier beat a sighthound in a sprint? Some may call it cutting corners. I call it tactical awareness. In life, second place might mean “1st loser” but if there's sausage treats on offer we’re all winners.
This shot reimagined a few steps along. ⬇️
www.flickr.com/photos/bigharv/52651896106/in/dateposted/
Corringham farmland, Essex UK
The infamous winding road that runs from Mam Tor towards Edale in the Peak District National Park, UK.
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