Northern travels

Back from a very fine week in Sutherland. Walked across heathery moors, down wooded hillsides and along (very) blustery beaches, ate rather too well, caught up with brother and his new dog, and with good friends too.

We visited Timespan in Helmsdale and were lucky to catch an exhibition of impressive, understated and very covetable slate sculpture by Mary Bourne.

Although sunny it was blooming chilly so we settled for a swift walk along to the quay and back again.

Dornoch beach was where I found these shells (I think they are tellins) So many colours, and just crying out to be 'kaleidoscoped' on the ipad!

On the last day we made it to Dunrobin Castle, and in between the showers it was quite magical, if a little surreal,to be looking at the immaculate garden modelled on Versailles.

We saw round probably twenty rooms and passages and nooks and crannies in this castle which is an amalgam of 14th Century 'keep' and several additions over the centuries (and now has 189 rooms...)