25 August 2015 - Coastal exploring in Aberdeenshire

The rain has finished for the moment but I have a feeling that summer 2015 has also finished in Scotland!  Tim and I went for a walk in the brisk wind around the Old Rayne Road.  Cobwebs well and truly blown away, it was time for school.  Thankfully school was somewhat better today as Luke took the initiative to start a power point presentation about a dragon farm – most kids would do a more common non-fiction farm animal!  He has already done his project about a crocodile farm and he was really proud of himself so let’s run with his current enthusiasm and see what he comes up with about farming dragons!

Tide out, mudflats exposed

The East coast of this part of Scotland is lovely and wild as it faces the North Sea.  Looking out over the water, apart from some distant ships, there is nothing to see but horizon.  We so loved the Ythan Estuary the other day that we went back to see some more seals.  The tide was way out today revealing the squelchy grey mud flats.  

Rather large boat for this estuary

The mud was really squelchy and nearly sucked our shoes off1

Water birds in the estuary

 The low tide had the effect of concentrating the bird population to a smaller body of water so there were lots of Eider Ducks and other little Sand Pipers and gulls.  The seal colony was so much closer and we were delighted by one particularly playful little seal who nearly beached himself at our feet.  What a sensational find this stretch of beach was!

Seal colony

Our curious seal friend

Seal portrait!

The seal came so close to us!

Annika being a seal!

 After a lovely windy walk we went back to the car and headed off to Cruden Bay and Erroll Harbour, some 10 miles north on the A90.  We drove past the cute little old fishermen’s cottages which reminded us of scenes for the BBC’s Doc Martin (even though that is filmed in Cornwall!).  

Cruden Bay village

Cruden was the scene of a battle in 1012 between the Danes and the Scots when Sweyn Haraldsson, who I believe is the very Sweyn Forkebeard we read about in the Museum of London, sent his son, Canute, to fight King Malcolm II of Scotland.  He failed to take over Scotland but did carve out a kingdom in England and became the first King of England in 1014. It is great that all the history we have learned comes together as we travel.

Cruden Bay cliff top wandering

Wild and wonderful

Cliff top ruin

 Cruden Bay today is a sleepy little village.  We thought it would be popular in summer…and then realised that it is summer and it is still sleepy!!  We had a wonderful clifftop walk to a rocky outcrop with wild waves and bright coloured lichen.  From there we could see the remains of Slains Castle.

Slains Castle in distance

Rock hoppers

 Slains Castle, a red medieval brick ruin these days, was originally built in 16^th century with several additions over the years.  It is in the most wonderful position overlooking the North Sea but was sadly sold by the 20 th Earl of Erroll, ending over 300 years of family occupation in 1913.  It is claimed that Bram Stoker, author of Dracula may have been a guest there as the castle is often cited as an inspiration for his novel!  Sadder still is that the castle was sold to a wealthy owner who leased it out.  The roof was removed to avoid taxes and so the building deteriorated.  There are now plans to make 35 holiday units in the castle in the future.

Slains Castle

North Sea looking tranquil

And we had it to ourselves!!!

It was low tide but at high tide the waves would be wild.

Colours of the lichen and the green grass and the sea - all a lovely combination

What a view...why was this place ever deserted?

So rich...

He wasn't so thrilled with the thistles on the path to get there but once he was there, it was so worthwhile!

Gorgeous!

Surveying the rocks!

Can't resist a good adventure

 It was so therapeutic to be wandering around feeling like we were the only people in the world on top of the cliffs.

 We thought about this quiet little village during WWII when they were under threat from enemy forces accessing Great Britain via the North Sea.  There are several shells of towers and forts dotted along the cliff, probably used by the Home Guard.  We thought about the effect of WWII on London when we were there as there was so much evidence of bomb attacks, etc. still obvious today but hadn't really considered the impact the war had on little coastal villages like this where the inhabitants were equally on edge for all the war years. How very stressful it would have been to live in Britain and Europe during those years.

Anti-tank blocks on the beach left from WWII defences

Erroll Harbour

We had a back to front dinner with some éclairs first while the rest of dinner was cooking as we were running late.  It is always better to have an "official" part of dinner rather than snacks just before dinner! Feeling just a little wicked as we also had a bit of delicious local ice cream – McKies Salted Caramel – well, we have to try local produce, don’t we?!