Autumn Gold on Speyside - Where to see the colours?

I collected these leaves and let the sun illuminate them in the Alice Littler Park, Aberlour in the heart of Speyside. I love walking by the River Spey by the river on this part of the Speyside Way. I always see locals and visitors alike walking their dogs or playing with their children in the park. 

Most of our historic monuments and castles are open until the end of October and this includes the stunning Elgin Cathedral. The views from the tower in autumn show how many beautiful trees there are in Cooper Park and all the way down to Lossiemouth.

After a day of walking full of history and colour, it is maybe time for a wee dram of Malt Whisky - now what to choose - a 12 or 15 or 18 year old Glenlivet, Aberlour or Balvenie? You might prefer a local beer of which we have many from the Cairngorms Brewery as well as even more local ones. Anyone for a Black Gold or a Wild Cat? Steve is always happy to advise on Beer or Whisky and offer a wee dram at Bluefolds cottages.

Mist rising in the glen is a symbol of autumn on Speyside The mist is rising here from Ben Rinnes close to the walker's car park for the climb up the Ben. As you drive through the area, another favourite spot to stop and enjoy the colours is at the Craigellachie bridge, built by Thomas Telford in 1814. It is the oldest surviving cast iron bridge in Scotland. Its design has allowed it to withstand the many floods on the Spey and is an icon of the area.

Driving from Glenlivet through the Cairngorms National Park can take you to Loch and Eilean with stunning views to the Cairngorm mountains and a chance to walk round the Loch enjoying the autumn tints. October is one of my favourite months to get out and about in the Cairngorms and Speyside. Why not book a holiday at Bluefolds this autumn?

Summer around Elgin

The weather has certainly been a mixed bag this summer where ever I have been in Scotland. It has been a challenge to get out and take photos in sunshine showing the beauty of the area. During August, I was called to be a Juror at the Sheriff Court in Elgin. In the end after listening to an afternoon of evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no case to answer and the Jury was dismissed. I took the opportunity to go around Elgin Cathedral, Biblical Garden and to visit the Cygnets in Cooper Park on a lovely day when I had thought to be in doors listening intently to witnesses! More Photos of a day around Elgin

Daffodil Time in Elgin - Oystercatchers, Curlews and Lapwings return to Glenlivet

This year we are having an early spring in Glenlivet and Speyside which is wonderful. The oystercatchers have been back for around 2 weeks and have now seen the usual 2 pairs near the cottages in Glenlivet studying their heap of stones. Oystercatchers like to nest on a heap of small stones - it seems like a strange place to nest, but they choose the same ones every year. The curlews are also back patrolling their territory. They nest in rushes near Folds Cottage and spend a lot of the day in the air around the area making their distinctive call. I have also seen fields of lapwings around the area. It is wonderful to see so many in one place. Soon they will be paired up, and nesting around the Glenlivet area. Last year, we had to wait until May before the daffodils were out in Glenlivet, but this year they are starting to bloom. As you drive down through Aberlour and along to Elgin there are daffodils in bloom everywhere. I just had to visit the area around Elgin Cathedral once in the early evening and a couple of days later in the morning to see the daffodils beside the River Lossie as it flows through Elgin and out to the sea at Lossiemouth. If you click on the collage it will open in another window showing larger version of the photos.

Elgin Cathdral, Speyside in Autumn

On Sunday, after I dropped a friend at the bus station in Elgin, the sun was shining and I thought why not visit the Cathedral. The autumn colours in the park by the Cathedral were looking vibrant and the trees by the River Lossie were gleaming in the sunlight. As a member of Historic Scotland, I decided to climb to the top of the Cathedral to view the surrounding town and countryside. The view to the Abbots House next door was fantastic. On view are a selection of photos I took on Sunday. I recently downloaded picasa 3 beta and discovered the joy of making collages. Picasa 3 from google is a great free programme and easy to use and to upload photos to the net. Today the weather has turned to winter and we have an inch or so of snow outside my window. Hope to get some snowy photos later when the snow goes off!