Moel Gyw & Moel Y Plas

Back to Moel Gyw, but with a twist. Adding on part of a walk to Moel y Plas to make one big walk taking in more Moels than you can shake a hiking pole at.

Moel Gyw elevation

Moel Gyw route

Still very hot, sunny and dry, but with a sudden howl of wind near Moel Gyw so we avoided that particular bit. Lots of birds around, including a lucky spot of a Redstart.

House nestled in the countryside

View down to Llyn Gweryd

Valley near Moel y Plas

Valley near Moel y Plas

Moel Gyw (Moel Famau in the background)

Coed Plas-y-nant

Looking west towards Ruthin

Redstart

Redstart

Stonechat

Panorama from Bryn Alyn

Jura

The last day and we haven't been to Jura. It's now or never. A long car drive with a short ferry ride and we're there. Weather started quite overcast and a little drizzly. It cleared up to be hot and sunny by lunchtime.

Jura route

The first part of the A846 runs right next to the sea, where we saw various Divers, Shags etc. Just as the road turns inland there is a little cove where we saw an Otter swim in with an enormous crab. It scoffed that down then had a good roll around in the seaweed.

View from the ferry down the Sound of Islay

Oystercatcher

Rock Pipit

Welcome to Jura

We saw a female Hen Harrier gathering nesting material. Good clear views but it was very far away and then we got moved on by some vehicles (single track road).

Female Hen Harrier

Female Hen Harrier

Otter

Otter on seaweed

Shot of the holiday!

Otter spraint in action

Normal service now resumes with some picturesque landscapes.

View of north east Islay from Jura

Linnet on Gorse

Forests near Craighouse

3 young dogs awaiting orders from boss dog

Little chapel outside Craighouse

Paps of Jura

Paps of Jura

Paps of Jura

Caterpillar (huge, roughly 5-6cm, possibly Drinker Moth)

Two-banded Longhorn Beetle (also huge and reluctant to go away)

Two-banded Longhorn Beetle

Buzzard being harassed by Hooded Crows

Stonechat eating one of the beetles

Gill had been hoping to see a Whinchat all through the holiday (all Stonechat shots closely inspected) and we eventually found one near the end. Rough photo but it was very far away.

Whinchat

Calmac going down the Sound of Islay

Great Black-backed Gull

Common Gull paddling

Just before the ferry terminal we came across a Red Deer on the side of the road. So close I couldn't even fit it in the frame of the big camera.

Red Deer

Ballygrant and Bunnahabhain

A long day visiting woods at Ballygrant in the morning, up to Loch Finlaggan for lunch then an afternoon wandering along the coast at Bunnahabhain. Near cloudless skies, murky haze and blazing sun all day long again.

Ballygrant and Bunnahabhain

Stonechat

It doesn't look much but we were very pleased to spot a Grasshopper Warbler. If it didn't have such a distinctive song we would never have known it was lurking in the long grasses on the back roads. Quite a few were singing near the high road (B8016) and turn for Cluanach.

Grasshopper Warbler

Bluebells in Ballygrant Woods

Thick moss on tree trunks

Treecreeper

Gill

Meadow Pipit

We went up to Loch Finlaggan but didn't stop for long, it's mostly of interest for its history. We carried on up the road a little and had lunch looking over the fields below where a male Hen Harrier glided past briefly. Still no good photos but we keep seeing them so fingers crossed.

Male Hen Harrier

Up to Bunnahabhain for a scramble round some of the rocks and a walk along the stony shore. Lots of Oystercatchers making a racket as usual. There was a lot of haze (as there has been all week) making the Paps a bit washed out.

Paps of Jura

Paps of Jura

Paps of Jura

A Ringed Plover tried leading me away from what I assume was its nest, always keeping me at a fixed distance.

Ringed Plover

I got a garbled message on my walkie-talkie from Gill. Eventually I realised she was telling me an Otter was behind me!

Otter

Seaweed on the rocks

Common Seals and Shag

A juvenile Great Northern Diver was fishing just off the beach as we were heading back. Managed to get a lot closer than usual. It ate at least two crabs.

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver eating a crab (it went down in one)

Gill on the beach

Brown Hare

Bluebells

Male Wheatear

Man as big as Mountain

Herring Gull

Oystercatchers

Not asleep, photographing Seals, honest

Great Northern Diver

Pheasant

Paps of Jura from the bridge near Bunnahabhain distillery