Saturday 20 October 2012

LIfe abandoned due to sunshine: Newark Bay, Orkney

After a few dreich miserable days, quite unexpectedly, out popped the sun so yesterday, life was abandoned due to sunshine.  So like any good citizen, we headed to the beach. As you can see we left early to avoid the traffic, it can be hell on the roads here. As I'm on a mission to 'Live in the moment' so we went to find Newark Bay recommended by a chum........map here
 As always when faced with dangerous terrain the hoonds tend to form the forward party. Haggis attempting some kind of 'yoga' in the wake of Peedie's lead. That Haggis dog, I'm afraid to say, is just not right in the head, so he fits in well.
 
The obligitary beach graffiti is customary when visiting a new beach. Whilst its not quite Banskie, it will do. Always a good plug for the posh wellies too.
 Now, what I find difficult in Orkney is the crowded beaches. Sometimes its hard to find somewhere peaceful to walk. Today for instance, we passed 4 people in total, thankfully we all wandered off in different directions or it might have caused a major traffic report.
 On days such as these, it pays to wear your wellies, they get a free wash in the sea.
 And so they had a good splash. Seemed only fair, its been so dreich and dull here, nice to get out and enjoy the sunshine whlist paddling.
 There's something about big skies isn't there and a nice long walk.
 Listening to the water gently lapping in and out.

 After the gales at the weekend, the beach is strewn with kelp and other tousled seaweed, tossed high up on the shores, deep in places. Given the calm of the day, the sunshine and the lack of wind, its hard to imagine gales at the moment. I think today might be summer.
 Off in the distance a herring gull sits watching us on top of the slipway poles jutting out of the sea. You'll be glad of my rubbish photography, herring gulls are really angry looking and that would spoil the mood......its more 'romantic' from this distance.
 The sunshine dances on the water, so I of course had to join in. Only polite don't you know. Wellies looking quite clean now, which makes a nice change from all that mud.

 We reach the top of the slipway, fighting our way through deep kelp on the shore to clamber up. What an amazing view looking at where we've walked. Newark Bay gets a big tick, nice beach!
 When not working, or playing guitar Mr Flowers prefers to walk on water. He does stuff like that and likes to show off now and again.
 Whlist I attempt to drown myself taking photos of various seaweeds dancing in the shallows.
 We head back along the bay, joined by a couple of frolocksome seals. Yes, those tiny dots are seals. They were so close we heard them giggling way. We really did. But you know how seals are. One minute you see them......
 The next minute you don't. They appear to be playing with us. Curious as to our chatter and the dogs attempts at swimming don't frighten them too much.
 We walk towards The Point of Ayre - so many birds pottering about in the sunshine, we carry on past their chatter over the now rocky shoreline.
 Until its time to turn around and head back. What a perfect beach to stroll on when abandoning life, don't you think.
Another new beach walked, more coastline claimed in the great 'Bag all of Orkney's beaches' escapade I appear to be on. This weeks beaches have included Scapa, Inganess and Waulkmill which we know really well, but its nice to find a new one to explore. Thanks to Pete and Wendy for such a lovely suggestion and for the chicken lodgings, I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
 
Walk abandonded due to sunstroke and exhaustion, life resumed, a wee bit more refreshed. Wellies clean.

24 comments:

  1. I can smell the ozone coming off these photos!

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    1. Linda that might have been the rotting seaweed, it was more than a bit pongy!

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    1. Indeed and new to us which is fabby. I must learn how to make an interactive map and catalogue which beaches I have left to discover.........!

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  3. Tee hee I was doing EXACTLY the same yesterday (minus hedgehogs, plus feline). I even had the obligatory herring gull and seals!! It was the warmest day we'd had all SUMMER I think!! Gorgeous..... Loved these photos. I've not been to that beach -ooooh it's over on East Mainland - in foreign parts!! Exciting....

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    1. The seals were really close and curious this day. Funny how they end up as blips on photos. I'm glad the cat came along with you. The HEDGEDOGS quite like their new name. The East Mainland is indeed foreign parts, we don't venture that way much, although we should.

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  4. Nice to know you're sharing the islands' Indian summer.
    Great wellies.

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    1. I know the summer may end rather aburptly at the end of the week (snow forecast and winds from the arctic) I rather like these african winds. Much more pleasant. The posh wellies, as they are, are very lovely indeed. Thanks!

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  5. It looks lovely and your pictures are great. I live by the Pacific Ocean (on Vancouver Island Canada) and find solace in a day by the water.

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    1. Thanks I had a peek over at your patch it looks glorious. Mr Me has been to Vancouver a couple of times, he loves it there! I can't live far from the sea, it pains me. And of course wrecks havoc with the garden, but I love being a stones throw from a beach, there is indeed solace to be sought in such living. Thanks for popping over.

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  6. Wow-- powerful images of sun and sea and rock. Makes me think of silkies and all the generally mystical. It is certainly the time of year for magic. Good job seizing the day! I'm surprised your dogs will swim-- Max hates all water!

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    1. Selkies are indeed quite mystical, so I'm watching those seals with a weathered eye! Only one dog will swim, the youngest one has a clearly undefined sense of who he is yet. I really beleive he IS a Haggis (The island haggi, as he is, are know for their great swimming abilities), the older (much wiser, although some would say merely 'lazier') dog, does not indulge in such frivolity. Hedgedogs, such as these are, he feels should keep their feet quite dry. He despairs of Haggis and his odd ways. The day was indeed seized, I have no guilt as the postage stamp garden requires little input.

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  7. Wonderful walk along the beach!
    Have a blessed day!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie

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    1. Lea thank you, such a gorgeous day, seemed a shame not to indulge. Thanks for popping by, hope your days are blessed too.

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  8. How about a day trip to Sanday to escape the crowds? Never have I seen such beaches. And at Stonyquoy, you get a big chambered cairn all to yourself. You might need a car, but unless Orkney has changed, cars in the outer islands seem to be more or less communal, and I remember picking one up from the only garage (it was doubtless in for repair) for a remarkably tiny fraction of what Mr Herz would charge you....

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    1. I love Sanday, although as we have friends there, which generally involves a very late supper and revellery, its not a quiet affair! Orkney is similar, quite relaxed with a view to car sharing, we're quite green you know. Mr Herz does not approve of our ways, but they work for us. If a car is missing, your first thought is generally, either - I wonder where I left it, or who borrowed it. As to chambered cairns and standing stones, every household has thier own or in tighter times such as these, we tend to share with another family. Seems only fair.

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  9. Whoa, just reading Nov edition of Country Living mag, I see your lovely blog gets a mention (page 86)!

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    1. Whoa indeed! My pal texted me from the train and told me - that got a bit of whoa's at work too. Thanks for saying its lovely. The lady said it made a nice contrast to those in the 'sooth' where gales are reported on the weather news. Our gales, tend to be less attention seeking, due to their frequency! Thanks for popping by, page 86 indeed. I told the younglings, they were suitably unimpressed, they seem to think I write for a living........

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  10. What a lovely walk. Do you ever wander around Stenness or Brodgar?

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    1. We do indeed wander around Stenness and Brodgar - also very favourite stomping grounds. The stones the dogs find enjoyable, although how they use them is perhaps not so respectful!

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  11. Enjoyed sharing your beach trips with you Fay, and Mr Flowers is welcome to change my water into wine whenever he has the time.

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    1. Alistair - wonderful to have you along. Mr Flowers say's he'll give it a shot but its not the normal type of engineering he does!

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  12. Beautiful beach! I know what you mean about making the most of the sunshine. It has to be done!
    Lovely to discover your blog. Off to see if you have more pictures of your dogs. :)

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  13. How lovely to see you over here. Waves hello. Sunshine and beaches in Scotland are something which have to be embraced quickly for fear of the next season arriving 20 minutes later don't they! The hoonds, such as they are feature highly and have thier own page, which does need updating. It was lovely to discover yours too. Thanks for popping by.

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