Green Holy Isle

To arrive to the Holy Isle we have to catch a small boat at Lamlash Bay, in Arran. The boat takes only a maximum of 10 people but we were only 4 to take the last opportunity of the day to go there. At arrival we were welcomed by a nice German/Dutch resident (or volunteer) of the Budhist Community, which runs the Centre for World Peace and Health, who told us what were the attractions of the island. And the only thing to do was just going up and down the hill and around the island, while seeing the different painted figures of Budha. There was also the caves where the hermit St Molaise lived in the 6th century. The visit has to finish at 4pm, which is when the small ferry boat comes back to pick the single day visitors. While waiting, we fed a cereal bar to a couple of chaffinches and a blackbird and I visited the organic allotment maintained by the community. Ah, and I went for a swim. The water was quite warm to my surprise! 

Yellow and warm sunset in Cir Mhor

Nice walk through Glen Rosa until reaching the bottom of Cir Mhor. Good rock for climbing. Pleasant and smooth climbing with a great view over Arran at the top.


"Cir Mhor (Big Comb) is the last of the Corbett peaks of Arran and sits at 798m high. The name comes from the peaks resemblance to a cockscomb. Although not the highest peak in the range, Cir Mhor is justly described as the finest peak in the range. It forms, roughly, a triangular pyramid shape that faces one side towards Glen Iorsa, another to Glen Rosa and the third to Glen Sannox. Cir Mhor provides some of the best rock climbing on the Island." (In: https://www.summitpost.org/the-isle-of-arran/458606)

Blue sky and sea at Sheigra

This summer is being fantastic. And when the summer is like this in the west coast of Scotland, there is hardly any other beautiful place in the world. Fortunately for me, who likes travelling the world, the weather is hardly fantastic in Scotland and this summer has been only an exception. After a busy winter, spending few days in Sheigra was recharging. There is a nice beach, good climbing in the sea cliffs and a free site to camp!

Blue and red jackets

I sometimes think that if I reach my 70s, and with relative good health, I will be ready to travel around the world in cruises, as many old people do because it is an easy way of seeing the world with everything arranged for you. I just cannot stand the idea of travelling in a cruise but deeply believed, until very recently, that in my 70s I would have a different opinion about it. Some weeks ago, however, I was climbing Sgurr Alasdair in Skye and came across a group of over 70s climbing the Cioch. I have changed my mind. I will definitely pass the cruises in my 70s if I can!

Also grey sky in the South of Africa

I want to go back to South Africa. This first trip to the country was only a recognition trip. I did not travel  much around. I paddled in the Indian ocean and found out the water was as cold as the Atlantic ocean that bathes Cambelas, and that, similarly, the beach also get lots of plastic litter. I spent my weekend looking at the ocean from my room in a B&B located in the first line sea view. One night, after coming late from having dinner down town I met the only other host of the B&B I was staying, a guy from Swaziland. We went for dinner the following night and I learned so much about this small monarchy stuck between South Africa and Mozambique and about his refined taste for classical music. Unlikely but pleasant meetings usually happen when one travel alone.

The grey skies of Galicia

When I was 15 years old a read the book Diario de um Mago (The Pilgrimage) from Paulo Coelho, which was an inspiration at that age. The author walked the French way to Santiago de Compostela during six weeks and relates his experiences of self-discovery during the more than 1000km. Since then, I always wanted to walk the way as well. And in fact, throughout the years I have done bits of the Northern way and the French way, and I have visited Santiago and its imposing cathedral. Last April, by chance, all the stars aligned for me to do one of the Portuguese ways to Santiago with three colleagues. But I haven't walk though, I cycled, and I did not go for self-discovery but to appreciate the scenery and enjoy the experience. It took us 3.5 days to cycle from Porto to Santiago (~230km). We slept in Ponte de Lima, Redondela and Padron and we soaked to the bones in the second day as it rained and haled as if we were in Scotland (but we were in Galicia!). Cycling the Portuguese way was not peanuts, especially going up Serra da Labruja, in which we almost had to carry the bikes on our backs. But the landscape was always surprisingly refreshing and picturesque and it was interesting to see and talk to so many people walking the way. Arriving at the main square at Santiago, in front of the cathedral brought me an enormous sense of achievement, and the mysticism that I lacked during the way appeared in full power. 

Blue Spring gentians

The presence of unusual artic-alpine plant species in the Upper Teesdale nudges me to walk about two miles along the river Tee in the beginning of Spring to witness the flowering of the Spring gentians. What makes this place favourable to the gentians is the rocky outcrops of unaltered limestone, an upland setting which retains harsh climate, and unfavourable mineral content of soils to the growing of grasses that could compete with these rare flowers. Much of Teesdale has been designated as a protected conservation area.