Saltire in the Sky

Beautiful sunny day yesterday with a bright blue sky. Doing a bit of tidying in the garden, I looked up to the sky and there was a diagonal cross directly above me. It reminded me of the St Andrews Cross. Not sure if  it was caused by aircraft trails or natural cloud or a bit of both.

December Skies

From a dark glowering sky the sun began to appear from the edge of the cloud lighting up the Pentland Hills on the other side of the Forth.

The sun lighting up the sand in Lower Largo

Spectacular clouds.

Impressive Clouds Over Leven

Cloud formations over Leven viewed from the Massney Braes in Lundin Links. Patches of blue still visible and beneath the darker clouds the sun still lighting up the sky. Unfortunately the dark clouds soon moved overhead and a soaking ensued.

High Cloud Patterns

Some quite spectacular cloud patterns over Lundin Links this morning. In the photo above the moon is just visible. Not sure of the type of cloud, possibly altocumulus.

A Summer Evening

Pink-tinged clouds above Largo Law.

Looking over Lundin Ladies Golf Course at sunset. Another hot day in prospect for tomorrow.

Stormy Sunset

A stormy looking sky at sunset viewed from Lundin Ladies Golf Course.

Winter Trees

In winter, whilst the trees have lost all their leaves, the structure is much more impressive against the background of a cloudy sky. 

A flock of birds are roosting at the top of the trees.

Christmas Day Walk at Shell Bay

Looking towards Largo Law with a cloud cap.
After so much rain Christmas Day showed a marked improvement in the weather, so set off for a morning walk at Shell Bay, before coming home to wrestle with the turkey. Parked in the Fife Coastal Path car park just before the entrance to the caravan park and walked through the woods to the side of the Cocklemill Burn and then followed the path to the beach.

Passed World War II tank traps which are now covered with moss and lichen.

Oystercatchers were on the rocks below

The tide was in so couldn't walk out to Ruddon's Point but had to keep to the top of the beach.

With the stormy weather there was a lot of wood washed on to the beach including this serpent-like branch.

Lichen covered rocks.
At least three species of lichen growing on these rocks. I think that the yellow patches are yellow splash lichen - Xanthoria parietina and that the pale green tufted lichen is sea ivory -Ramelina silquosa.

The sun just beginning to light up the beach.

Looking towards Kincraig Point.

Looking towards Ruddon's Point.

Clouds Lift Over Largo

 A dreich cloudy morning yesterday but the clouds began to lift in the afternoon as the sun went down producing some spectacular skies.

Largo Law bathed in a pink tinged light as the clouds drift past the summit.

Looking across Largo Bay from Lundin Links as the sun goes down over the Forth.

A Break in the Clouds

Cloudy and wet weather over the last two days but this afternoon the clouds began to break up producing some spectacular skies over Largo Bay.

The view from the pier at Lower Largo.

Looking towards the Pentland Hills.

Cirrus Clouds Over Largo Bay

Wispy cirrus clouds over Largo Bay, looking towards Ruddon's Point. Popularly known as mare's tales they are sometimes a forerunner of bad weather and tomorrow's forecast is not good!

Aros Park, Tobermory

On our recent visit to Mull, walked from the Ledaig car park at Tobermory along the coastal path to Aros Park. From the path there are spectacular views back to Tobermory and out to Tobermory Bay.

Aros Park formed the estate woodland surrounding Aros House, which was demolished in 1962. The park is now managed by the Forestry Comission. The Aros Burn tumbles down a series of falls into the sea.

At the centre of the park is the Lochan a' Ghurrabain. This lochan is an artificial feature created when the surrounding land was landscaped to provide parkland to Aros House. I like the reflections of the trees and the clouds in these photos of the lochan.