64 days to go

I had two visits to make in Wick this morning as part of the Cabinet events.

First I went to Kongsberg Maritime who manufacture an incredible 60% of all commercial underwater cameras at their premises in the town. It was fascinating to be shown round by Bill Baxter the plant manager and to see such great innovation and invention as well as such a strong range of products for the offshore industry and for other customers including the UK, American and Australian Navies.

I then spent an hour and a half at Avonlea a brand new children's home opened in Wick just three weeks ago. I met one of the young people who is staying there and then spent a very useful time taking through a whole range of GIRFEC and other issues with staff from social work, health, education and allied professions in the area - something I am trying to do across Scotland.

Having finished around 12.00 I then went to Wick station as I had arranged to take the train back to the the Central belt and I am glad I did. I had never been on the route to Inverness and it is stunning. I took lots of pictures, including some of my colleague John Swinney who was on the trip south as well, but this in the end had to be my choice - the start of the flow country under a wonderful sky.

The Flow Country is probably the world's largest expanse of blanket bog and crossing it by train is a great way to appreciate its beauty and size though I would also like to walk through at leaf part of it at some stage and I have not yet had the chance.

You can see the image LARGE here.

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