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Lamb Island, Craigleith Island, Bass Rock: viewed from Yellowcraig beach, East Lothian at dawn ...
... with a bit of digital manipulation.
The island of Fidra, off Yellowcraig Beach in East Lothian, is said to have been the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, but so are many other islands! He does mention Fidra in his novel, Catriona. The lighthouse was built in 1885 by Thomas and David Stevenson, his father and uncle respectively.
It’s 2 years today since we lost this old fella. Never a day passes without thinking about him. His picture takes pride of place on our wall. He left a huge mark on us all….xx.
A large patch of Viper's Bugloss below the dunes at Yellowcraig Nature Reserve East Lothian.
Echium vulgare — known as viper's bugloss and blueweed— is a species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae. It is native to most of Europe and western and central Asia, and it occurs as an introduced species in north-eastern North America. The plant root was used in ancient times as a treatment for snake or viper bites. If eaten, the plant is toxic to horses and cattle through the accumulation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the liver.
While I was walking along the coast near Edinburgh one day last month, I came upon a couple of the bays where there were masses of small boulders which had been churned up by the recent high tides, and dumped along the strand line. I guess the average size was about a foot wide by 8 or 9 inches in height and width, but there was a lot variation. There were all colours and shapes, but they seemed to be mainly sedimentary sandstones and mudstones and some conglomerates. Amongst them were many of these - red sandstone with quartz seams running through them. I don't know what was written on them, but they looked to be saying something, to someone, somewhere.
(A geologist contact tells me the 'hieroglyphs' are most probably calcite, not quartz. Thanks Dwight.)
Low eve, evenning sun at Yellowcraig Beach in East Lothian with bass Rock, guano covered, in the distance.
Yellowcraig, less commonly known as Broad Sands Beach, is a coastal area of forest, beach and grassland in East Lothian, south-east Scotland. Yellowcraig is partly within the Firth of Forth Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is bordered to the north by the Firth of Forth, to the south by the village of Dirleton and Dirleton Castle, to the east by the North Berwick West Links golf course, and to the west by the Archerfield Estate and Links golf courses.
The Bass Rock, or simply the Bass ( /bæs/), (Scottish Gaelic: Creag nam Bathais or Scottish Gaelic: Am Bas) is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland. Approximately 2 kilometres (1 mi) offshore, and 5 kilometres (3 mi) north-east of North Berwick, it is a steep-sided volcanic rock, 107 metres (351 ft) at its highest point, and is home to a large colony of gannets. The rock is uninhabited, but historically has been settled by an early Christian hermit, and later was the site of an important castle, which after the Commonwealth period was used as a prison. The island belongs to Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, whose family acquired it in 1706, and before to the Lauder family for almost six centuries. The Bass Rock Lighthouse was constructed on the rock in 1902, and the remains of an ancient chapel survive.
There are around a dozen islands in Scotland's Firth of Forth which have a volcanic origin, and Fidra is one of them. This is just off the coast near Yellowcraig on the southern side of the Firth. The town of North Berwick is a couple of miles to the east. The lighthouse dates from 1885 and the island was apparently the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's famous book, Treasure Island.
Fidra has ruins of an old chapel, or lazaretto for the sick, which was dedicated in 1165 to St Nicholas. In the 12th-century the island formed part of the barony of Dirleton, which was granted to the Anglo-Norman John de Vaux by King David I. The de Vaux family built a stronghold, known as Castle Tarbet, on the island, but in 1220 William de Vaux gifted Fidra to the monks of Dryburgh Abbey in the Borders. His successor built nearby Dirleton Castle, on the mainland, as a replacement dwelling.
Echium vulgare The upright, blue flower spikes of Viper's-bugloss can be spotted on chalk grassland, sand dunes, cliffs and banks. Its spotted stem is thought to resemble a viper
Fidra Island is uninhabited and sits in the Firth of Forth just northwest of North Berwick, on the east coast of Scotland. The Island was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, and today It’s an RSPB Scotland nature reserve.
A panoramic view of the Yellowcraig Beach where a fellow photographer or fisherman enjoys the view from a small outcrop of rocks jutting out from the shoreline, whilst the tree line takes us out to the far distance and a view of “Craigleith Island” and behind it the volcanic plug of “Bass Rock” standing 351ft high in the outer part of the Firth of Forth and approx 1mile offshore, it is home to the worlds largest colony of 150.000 Gannets, being described as “one of the wildlife wonders of the world” In good weather boat trips to the island from North Berwick are available.
The small volcanic island of “Fidra” is an RSPB Scotland nature reserve, sitting just 300m offshore of the lovely beach of Yellowcraig in East Lothian. It consists of 3 sections, with the Lighthouse built in 1885 sitting high on the hill at the Western end and a low-lying isthmus middle section with a rocky stack at the Eastern end, making it almost Submarine like. It’s home to many seabirds including fulmers, peregrine falcon, gulls and puffins etc.
Viewed from Yellowcraig beach.
Fidra is an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north-west of North Berwick, on the east coast of Scotland. The island is an RSPB Scotland nature reserve.
Robert Louis Stevenson often visited the beaches at the area known today as Yellowcraig and it is said that he based his map of Treasure Island on the shape of Fidra. He also mentioned Fidra in his novel Catriona.
Finally got some half decent weather yesterday.
Had a bad day shooting as all my shots didn't seem to be focused or sharp. Was using manual focus and it was very windy but not sure what I did wrong. This was the best out of the bunch. It was the wind as haven't had any problems since.
People have pointed out the blown out bit but to honest it was just clear sky so no detail was lost...
Fidra is an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, 4 kilometres northwest of North Berwick, on the east coast of Scotland. The island is an RSPB Scotland nature reserve.
Like the other islands near North Berwick, Fidra is the result of volcanic activity around 335 million years ago. Fidra consists of three sections; a hill at one end with the lighthouse on it; a low-lying section in the middle, effectively an isthmus; and a rocky stack at the other end.
The island's name is believed to be Old Norse in origin, referring to the large number of bird feathers found there. Like the nearby Bass Rock, it has a substantial seabird population, and is now an RSPB reserve. The village of Gullane lies to the south-west, and the nature reserve of Yellowcraig and village of Dirleton, to which parish Fidra belongs,[8] are to the south. Remotely operated cameras on the island send live pictures to the watching visitors at the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick.[9]
Upon the island are ruins of an old chapel, or lazaretto for the sick, which was dedicated in 1165 to St Nicholas. In the 12th-century, the island formed part of the barony of Dirleton, which was granted to the Anglo-Norman John de Vaux by King David I. The de Vaux family built a stronghold, known as Castle Tarbet, on the island, but in 1220, William de Vaux gifted Fidra to the monks of Dryburgh Abbey, in the Borders. His successor built Dirleton Castle, on the mainland, as a replacement dwelling.
This is the southern side of the Firth of Forth, a couple of miles west of North Berwick. We had booked a visit to Dirleton Castle but had arrived far too early. It was a lovely day and the receptionist suggested we pass some time at Yellowcraig, a mile or so away on the East Lothian coast. We hadn't been here before, but what an absolutely beautiful place. Yellowcraig is a coastal area of sheltered woodlands, beach and grassland, and is partly within the Firth of Forth Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). There is a very large sandy beach which seemed to attract most of the visitors, but we wandered over to the western side where there is a rock shelf and numerous rock pools.
This is a region of much former volcanic activity lasting millions of years. But it commenced around 350 million years ago, so no problem these days! However, the result is a number of small islands in the Firth of Forth and old volcanic rocks on the mainland, many of which may well have been moved in subsequent ice ages. In addition there are several large volcanic plugs - in effect, extinct volcanoes. North Berwick Law, a conical hill rising to over 600 feet just south of the town, is a prime example.
During our two weeks in south-east Scotland we had booked (as you now have to) to visit Dirleton Castle near North Berwick. However, it transpired we were too early and had time to kill, so we headed off to nearby Yellowcraig and its nature reserve. There is a natural cove beach on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth with spectacular views to the 1885 lighthouse on Fidra Island - the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's famous book, Treasure Island. We hadn't been to Yellowcraig before, but absolutely loved it and will certainly return at some point in the future.
Like the other islands near North Berwick, Fidra is the result of volcanic activity around 335 million years ago. It consists of three sections; a hill at one end with the lighthouse on it, a low-lying section in the middle - effectively an isthmus, and a rocky stack at the other end.
The island has ruins of an old chapel, or lazaretto for the sick, which was dedicated in 1165 to St Nicholas. In the 12th-century the island formed part of the barony of Dirleton, which was granted to the Anglo-Norman John de Vaux by King David I. The de Vaux family built a stronghold, known as Castle Tarbet, on the island, but in 1220 William de Vaux gifted Fidra to the monks of Dryburgh Abbey in the Borders. His successor built Dirleton Castle, on the mainland, as a replacement dwelling.
Source: Wikipedia
Fidra Island viewed from Yellowcraig beach.
Fidra is an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north-west of North Berwick, on the east coast of Scotland. The island is an RSPB Scotland nature reserve.
Robert Louis Stevenson often visited the beaches at the area known today as Yellowcraig and it is said that he based his map of Treasure Island on the shape of Fidra. He also mentioned Fidra in his novel Catriona.
Another one from our visit to south-east Scotland in 2020. We had booked to visit Dirleton Castle near North Berwick. However, it transpired we were too early and had time to kill, so we headed off to nearby Yellowcraig and its nature reserve. There is a natural cove beach on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth with spectacular views to the 1885 lighthouse on Fidra Island - the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's famous book, Treasure Island. We hadn't been to Yellowcraig before, but absolutely loved it and will certainly return at some point in the future.
Like the other islands near North Berwick, Fidra is the result of volcanic activity around 335 million years ago. It consists of three sections; a hill at one end with the lighthouse on it, a low-lying section in the middle - effectively an isthmus, and a rocky stack at the other end.