Coastal Recce Cairndoon March 2011

We're not having the best of weather here in South West Scotland,but life goes on and in the second week of March 2011 I'm having a look down the coast from St Medan's golf course.
I was last down here in May 2010 when I uploaded a Strata and Seashore post.

I'd seen a few lady golfers around on the way down,but the course didn't look overly busy.

The initial climb to the clifftop path is a bit of a scramble,but the going gets a lot easier once up.

It's not often you can photograph the sun,but i managed this one today.

I'm never sure with Cormorants and Shags, but I've been reliably informed that most of them seen on South West Scotlands shores are Shags.There's lots of them about.

I pass over the top of  Callie's Port which I visited the last time continuing south.The Ordnance Survey map shows lots of caves along this stretch.

It's a rugged and rocky coastline.

I reach a bay with a waterfall flowing over.Looking at the map it's no surprise to find it's called the 'Grey Mare's Tail'.There must  be hundreds of them throughout the British Isles.

I should have put my ten second timer on and got in the picture to show it in perspective...

...but the view from behind it helps.

As usual in the caves along here,there's plenty of plastic.

The plants above were all growing from cracks or ledges in the rocks.I've no idea of any of their names.

I took a few more pictures before ascending back to the cliff tops.It was quite a climb both ways.

Back on top I managed a quick snap of the Shag I disturbed.

I continued on along the cliff tops above the Lochans of Cairndoon.That's an interesting cattle setup down there,with some enclosed and others outside the enclosure.Further along I reached the ruins of an old farm building with some old ironwork about.

I continue on till I'm just below Carleton at Knockgulsha.I can recce south of here another time.


Heading back I take a look down by the shore.There's a ships mooring rope amongst the rubbish down there.

There's also quite a number of springs on the map.I've found one of them.
I'd better get back,the weather's closing in and St Medan's looks a long way off.
A nice exploration day though.