The young guy interviewed at the beginning of the video is the seventeen year old Martin, serving my 1st of two contracts with Mike Hoare’s 5 commando in 1964. A very serious university of life from which I learned a great deal.
Blog
-
The romance of Tioram Castle
The ruined Castle Tioram (pronounced Cheerum) is sited on the rocky tidal island Eilean Tioram (the Dry Island) where the waters of Loch Moidart & the River Shiel meet. Though hidden from the sea, the castle controls access to Loch Shiel.
It commanded the water routes from loch Shiel east to Loch Sunart and northeast to Glenfinnan, Loch Eil, Loch Linnhe and the Great Glen, avoiding the dangerous waters of Ardnamurchan point.
Castle Tioram was one of Somerled‘s castles in the twelfth century. It appears to have originally been a principal stronghold of Clann Ruaidhrí. Eilean Tioram, the island the fortress sits upon, is first recorded in a charter of Cairistíona Nic Ruaidhrí, daughter of Ailéan mac Ruaidhrí. According to early modern tradition, preserved by the seventeenth-century Sleat History, the castle was erected by Ailéan’s granddaughter, Áine Nic Ruaidhrí. The castle certainly served as the seat of the latter’s Clann Raghnaill descendants for centuries.
Successive chiefs had a reputation for ruthless behaviour, one consecrating his life to plunder and rapine. Donald, the 13th chief, was notorious for cruel, savage autocratic behavior. It was already a near ruin by 1715 when it was torched by Allan MacDonald, the 14th Chief of ClanRanald when he left for the battle of Sheriffmuir, supposedly with a premonition that he would not return. He was fatally wounded there.
In the pale light of the full moon when the weather is wild, you can almost feel the spectres of its past.
-
Bay MacNeill Beaches…Ardnamurchan
BayMacNeill on the far west of the Ardnamurchan peninsula in the western highlands of Scotland.
-
Loch Linnhe, Gateway To The Great Glen
Loch Linnhe is the gateway to the great glen. It is where the gaels, called the Scoti by the Romans, created the kingdom of Dál Riata in the western highlands of Scotland, to which I feel very connected. The kingdom reached its height under the rule of my 44th grandfather Áedán mac Gabráin (r. 574–608).
This shot was taken from the remote coastal road on Morvern leading to Kingairloch as the weather started closing in over the Nevis range.
loch Linnhe -
3D Printed Houses
3D printed houses are amazing, cut costs, save time and have come a long way in the last few years.
Enjoy this great documentary
-
Ardnamurchan Peninsula
Ardnamurchan peninsula’s north coast, late autumn against a stunning sunset.
-
Loch Arkaig
loch Arkaig leads into the land entry through wild mountains,
to the Knoydart peninsula, otherwise only accessible by sea.
-
SHARKS CAN’T FEEL???
Pictures are worth a thousand words
Sharks can’t feel??? -
Beaches of Ardnamurchan
The beaches of Ardnamurchan are stunningly beautiful, quiet and thankfully out of the way. All you need is a long trip to the far north western highlands of scotland, a rare sunny day and the ability to handle very cold water.
-
Readying To Go
Readying to go from Durban out into the Indian ocean and adventure.
-
A Visitor In The Garden
A visitor in the garden of our neighbors John and Nora in Durban, on the cliffs above the valley of a thousand hills in South Africa.
These steep cliffs which are still wild, extend for many kilometers and manage to sustain several large species, including leopard, genet, caracal, duiker, steenbok, black and green mamba, vine snake, puff adders, berg adders and many other snakes, including african rock python, like this one in the photo, which can grow to six meters.
-
Living In Lockdown
Living in lockdown in remote and beautiful Ardnamurchan
In this sunny spring weather is a privilege.
-
I Saw The Light
The mountains of dragons and spears were dark and foreboding under storm filled clouds. Then the sky opened like heavens eye and – I saw the light.
The Drakensberg Mountain Range includes the highest mountains in Southern Africa. The name means Dragon Mountains in Afrikaans and is called uKhahlamba in Zulu which means “barrier of spears”. Large parts of the Drakensberg were declared a world heritage site in 2000 due to its ecological and cultural diversity.
-
Rhino Peak – Drakensberg
Spent a wonderous day with friends and family in the southern drakensberg several years ago and caught part of the mountain range including the Rhino peaking out of the clouds. (: excuse the pun 🙂
Southern Drakensberg Rhino Peak is 3051 meters high and is named after one of the most endangered species on the planet.
The Drakensberg Mountain Range includes the highest mountains in Southern Africa. The name means Dragon Mountains in Afrikaans and is called uKhahlamba in Zulu which means “barrier of spears”. Large parts of the Drakensberg were declared a world heritage site in 2000 due to its ecological and cultural diversity.
-
Friends At Sea
Sailing in the middle of the Indian ocean north west of Madagascar
