Thurso - Garve

Pictures from Thurso - Garve route taken on our holiday trip in 2013.
Strathy Point Lighthouse Strathy Point was the first Scottish Lighthouse built as an all-electric station, with major light and fog signal. The station is on the north coast of Sutherland, and it was sanctioned in 1953 and lighted in 1958. A two-panel optical apparatus of 250mm focal length, rotating round a 250watt lamp can give a range of up to 26 miles. The optic is only a quarter of the size considered necessary twenty years earlier and the lantern measures only seven feet in diameter. The fog signal, with horns set 120° apart to spread the sound, is no longer in use. The station buildings, designed by the Board's Engineer, P H Hyslop, are laid out in a hollow square with covered-in passageways, giving protection from the high winds on this exposed headland. The traditional round tower has been abandoned (curving walls require interior fittings made to match), and even the 35 foot concrete lantern tower is square. The Station was automated in 1997 and is now remotely monitored from the Board’s Headquarters in Edinburgh. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel A lone house Houses are sparse in this region of Highlands but there's still some life visible and even children. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Barren land Not much is groving in these neck of woods, not even that wood. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel WW1 memorial A memorial for Tongue district war victims in WW1 : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
Misty mountains Barren scenery at Tongue fjord : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Loch Eriboll Highland scene at Loch Eriboll : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Old pier Steep cliffs and an old pier at Loch Eriboll : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Hard life Sturdy house next to Loch Eriboll : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
Highlanders Highland cattle at work, keeping the nature in good condition : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Catched it! A highland cow chasing his tail : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Leave me alone, I know what I'm doing! I bet this cow had a Kimi-moment as we were constantly following her doings and taking pictures of her. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Risbond coastline End of river Allt Chailgeag : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
Stone bridge Old stone bridge on A838 crossing river Allt Chailgeag : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Smoo cave entrance Smoo Cave entrance seen a bit further along Geodha Smoo : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Smoo cave entrance Smoo Cave is formed within Early Ordovician dolostones of the Durness Group (also known as the Durness Limestone). The cave has formed along the boundary between the light grey Sangomore Formation and the dark grey, mottled Sailmhor Formation (sometimes called Leopard Rock), both of which form part the Durness Group succession. These horizons close to the formation boundary are characterised by large and abundant chert nodules which can be found all along the inner stream chamber where they have been left behind after dissolution of the surrounding dolostone. The cave was formed along two geological lines of weakness by a combination of erosion from the sea and an inland underground stream which has formed the innermost chambers. Upstream of the Allt Smoo which runs into the cave, impermeable quartzites have been faulted against the Durness Limestone, causing the stream to sink down into the carbonate rock soon after it has crossed the contact between the two different rock types. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Smoo cave first chamber The cave is unique within the UK in that the first chamber has been formed by the action of the sea, whereas the inner chambers are freshwater passages, formed from rainwater dissolving the carbonate dolostones. Partway through the cave the waters of Allt Smoo also drop in as a 20m high waterfall. This is mainly due to the nearby dolostone - quartzite geological boundary where the Allt Smoo stream crosses the impermeable quartzites and sinks on meeting the permeable dolostones. Essentially the cave can be thought of as two caves formed by different mechanisms which have joined together over time. The cave is composed of three main sections; a large sea cave entrance chamber, a waterfall chamber and a short freshwater passage which leads to a terminal sump chamber with some interesting flowstone formations at the rear. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
A view from Smoo cave The cave is unique within the UK in that the first chamber has been formed by the action of the sea, whereas the inner chambers are freshwater passages, formed from rainwater dissolving the carbonate dolostones. Partway through the cave the waters of Allt Smoo also drop in as a 20m high waterfall. This is mainly due to the nearby dolostone - quartzite geological boundary where the Allt Smoo stream crosses the impermeable quartzites and sinks on meeting the permeable dolostones. Essentially the cave can be thought of as two caves formed by different mechanisms which have joined together over time. The cave is composed of three main sections; a large sea cave entrance chamber, a waterfall chamber and a short freshwater passage which leads to a terminal sump chamber with some interesting flowstone formations at the rear. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Smoo cave inner chambers The cave is unique within the UK in that the first chamber has been formed by the action of the sea, whereas the inner chambers are freshwater passages, formed from rainwater dissolving the carbonate dolostones. Partway through the cave the waters of Allt Smoo also drop in as a 20m high waterfall. This is mainly due to the nearby dolostone - quartzite geological boundary where the Allt Smoo stream crosses the impermeable quartzites and sinks on meeting the permeable dolostones. Essentially the cave can be thought of as two caves formed by different mechanisms which have joined together over time. The cave is composed of three main sections; a large sea cave entrance chamber, a waterfall chamber and a short freshwater passage which leads to a terminal sump chamber with some interesting flowstone formations at the rear. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Waterfall in Smoo cave The cave is unique within the UK in that the first chamber has been formed by the action of the sea, whereas the inner chambers are freshwater passages, formed from rainwater dissolving the carbonate dolostones. Partway through the cave the waters of Allt Smoo also drop in as a 20m high waterfall. This is mainly due to the nearby dolostone - quartzite geological boundary where the Allt Smoo stream crosses the impermeable quartzites and sinks on meeting the permeable dolostones. Essentially the cave can be thought of as two caves formed by different mechanisms which have joined together over time. The cave is composed of three main sections; a large sea cave entrance chamber, a waterfall chamber and a short freshwater passage which leads to a terminal sump chamber with some interesting flowstone formations at the rear. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Smoo cave inner chambers The cave is unique within the UK in that the first chamber has been formed by the action of the sea, whereas the inner chambers are freshwater passages, formed from rainwater dissolving the carbonate dolostones. Partway through the cave the waters of Allt Smoo also drop in as a 20m high waterfall. This is mainly due to the nearby dolostone - quartzite geological boundary where the Allt Smoo stream crosses the impermeable quartzites and sinks on meeting the permeable dolostones. Essentially the cave can be thought of as two caves formed by different mechanisms which have joined together over time. The cave is composed of three main sections; a large sea cave entrance chamber, a waterfall chamber and a short freshwater passage which leads to a terminal sump chamber with some interesting flowstone formations at the rear. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
Geodha Smoo Geodha Smoo Norwegian-style coastline : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Natural stone bridge A nice rock formation at Geodha Smoo : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Geodha Smoo Geodha Smoo shoreline in Durness : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Geodha Smoo A very narrow fjord leading to Smoo Cave : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
Geodha Smoo A scenery close to Smoo Cave with Crocodile Dundee also present :). : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Keoldale monument A stone monument, erected in 2000, to honour the Celtic past and ancient people : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Waterskiing A bit freezing way to pass some time : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Rugged coastline Kylesky area coastline with nice rock formations : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
Stoer lighthouse Stoer Head Lighthouse was built on Stoer Head by David and Thomas Stevenson in 1870. It lies14 km northwest of Lochinver. The former keeper's cottage is available for rent as a holiday home through the National Trust for Scotland. Sea transport in the 1870s being the only feasible option for this remote site, the stone and other materials for the lighthouse were landed on a jetty built for the purpose about a mile to the south east of the lighthouse. No doubt, supplies for the lighthouse were similarly transported until roads became passable in the 20th century. The jetty is now in disrepair. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Stoer Head Stoer Head coastline : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Kylesku area Kylesku area mountains taken from the Kylesku bridge : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel Ardvreck Castle Standing on a rocky promontory jutting out into Loch Assynt in Sutherland, north west Highland, Scotland, Ardvreck Castle is a ruined castle dating from the 16th century. The ruins can be reached by driving along the A837 which follows the north shore of Loch Assynt from the village of Inchnadamph. Care should be taken when walking around the site as falling masonry is a possible danger : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel
Aultguish Inn Aultguish Inn is a traditional historic Scottish country Inn situated in beautiful Highland wilderness where a cheerful welcome and a cosy log fire await our visitors. An ideal stopping post for all travellers on the road from Inverness to the north west of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides for hundreds of years, we are an inn that offers comfort and refuge from the elements and the perils of the road. Come in and join us for delicious home-made food, traditional bar-fare, refreshments and a comfortable night’s sleep. : Holiday, Scotland, Skotlanti, kesäloma, matka, travel