And bing went the bulb in my head... What I wanted to post this week were some of the shots I got of the Ice Curtains in Ross-shire from my visit over the holidays.
Basically due to the nature of the stone in the mountains water seeps through all year making for wet cliff faces. When it gets very cold this water freezes into vertical curtains of ice. It looks spectacular. Unfortunately white ice, with a white snow background and a white cloudy sky made it difficult photography so I don't have as many shots as I would have liked :)
This is the view from my parents house over the Cromarty Firth towards the black isle - taken approaching sunset. This may get used on the Christmas cards I send next year...
And lastly my ride sitting on a foot or so of snow in the lay by. So pleased the car has AWD and that I brought the winter tyres otherwise I don't think I would have been able to drive from the road onto the parking place to get the shots :)
Oh... One last thing. This makes my 50th post. A milestone I did not really expect to make when I started this blog. I've met (virtually) met many new people since doing this, and it has most definately improved my life. Thanks to all for reading - 1 follower is more than I was expecting, 18 (and thanks to Calie a peer award!) is so much more!
Stace
Nice pictures, Stace. They remind me of winter trips to my grandmother's up in Pennsylvania when I was a child. The road wound through the mountains paralleling the Susquehanna River, and many cliff faces along the roadside looked quite similar to your pics.
ReplyDeleteVolvos seem to e the car of choice on your side of the pond. Lucy Melford said she is going to get one too. Do you take a ferry across the Channel to get home, or do you drive to France and go by way of the Chunnel?
Melissa XX
I am pleased you decided to blog and I met another virtual friend.
ReplyDeletex
Wow! Quality pictures. Even tho I dislike being cold, I love the winter. Trannys eh? :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on making the big Five Oh, BTW :)
Thanks all
ReplyDeleteMelissa: Volvo's have a good reputation on this side of the pond. My wifes father got me onto them - the spitfire rusted away and we needed a car. He was swapping his and so offered us his old one at trade in price. Seeing as this was 60% of what it would cost from a dealer us we took him up on it. Since then we haven't looked back. They do have a reputation of age with them though. I get a lot of stick for not driving a VW or BMW as 'You're never too old for a Volvo' (a friend of mines favorite complaint at the car). My brother flew of the handle when I got this one as he thinks I should have got something that 'looks' faster - personally I like quick, slow looking cars over slow, quick looking ones. Just one of the ways in which we are poles apart...
When travelling back we take the Chunnel. We used to do the quick ferry from Holland to the UK but they replaceed the 4 hour ferry with an 8 hour ferry (pregress hey?) and as we do not want to be on the water that long (we tried the overnighter twice but it's not for us) driving the long way os the only option. But thankfully Volvo's have great seats so it's no real bother except for losing two days in travelling.
Lynn: It's cold, but the cars have a wonderful little button that warms your behind really quickly on those bitter winter mornings :)
Lovely photos, Stace, but it just looks soooo cold!
ReplyDeleteAnd, Stace, thanks for being a friend..
Calie xxx
Thanks Calie, I'm trying to remember how cold it was that day, at that location (location, location, location is the all important phrase in Scotland in winter - it can be 0 in one location, and -11 5 miles down the road, as I found out when my washer jets froze suddenly and I could see almost nothing through the salt on the window). I think when we were out of the car it was about -2. Cold, but not too bad if you are wrapped up (cold on the fingers trying to operate all the buttons on the camera though).
ReplyDeleteAnd straight back at you - the mails over the weekend were very gratefully recieved!
Stace