Fieldwork in Glen Einich

Summer is here so it's the time for filed work in the hills.  A few days ago Rachel, Rob and myself drove up to Coylumbridge then biked up to Glen Einich in the Caingormes.

Cycling around in the amazing Glen

The site was an eroding peat bog which was exposing amazingly preserved Scotts pine samples that can be used to learn about the fire history of the area.

Cutting tree disks for analysis

We had to cut sample disks to analyse in the lab enebeling us to date fire events and build up a chronology of the trees which can also be used to estimate the past climatic history of the area

Fun on the bike on the way home

After collecting 23 samples, we rode back down via the impressive Lochan Eiline as a recky for my field work.

The castle in the middle of loch Eiline

Cheers Sean for the bikes and Rob and Nugget for a fun day in the hills.

Western Isles Hitch-hike

Before Laura headed off to Canada, we decide to go off on a bit of an adventure, hitch hiking to the Western Isles, off the west coast of Scotland.

We bought a hopscotch ferry pass for £30 in Oban so we could travel up all of the Islands from Barra to Lewis through, Eriskay. South Uist, Benbecular, North Uist and Harris.

Highlights included;

The amazing standing stones at Callanish on Lewis.

Playing the "Yazz Flute" in the sun when the cars weren't passing.

Meeting Charles and Camilla in Tairbeart, Isle of Harris.

Amazing, endless beaches everywhere.

Sunsets on the cliffs in Carloway, Isle Of Harris

The Black houses where people lived until the 1970 made of; stone, soil,
wood, whale bone and thatch.  Heated with an ever burning peat fire.

More beautiful beaches at the tip of Lewis

Chilling on the cliffs

Amazing camp-sites.

History and sculpture in Stornaway.

Ferries and friendships

Kind people going out of their way to give us lifts.

After; 7 days on the road, 29 lifts, 658 miles, 4 ferrys we arrived back in St Andrews wanting to go back to the amazing islands again.