Glen Lyon...

We were awoken by a cuckoo for the third morning in a row.  I can't think of a finer alarm clock :-)

I was so happy to see large swathes of blue sky between the fluffy cloud as today was Glen Lyon day and the last time we drove through it, it was like a November day, even though it was May!

It started to rain just as we turned of the road into the glen but it was just an April shower and soon bits of blue sky were appearing again.

What can I say about Glen Lyon other than if you can get there, then go!  It is so beautiful.  

For anyone with legs what work, there is SO much to explore.  To follow the River Lyon along the water's edge must be a dream.  The east entrance to the Glen is rich in trees and foliage with a steep drop down to the river.  As the road takes you further in, the road and river meet and follow along side one another for a while.  

Last time we were here I was desperate to photograph the Roman bridge and little waterfall, and I did, but not very successfully as the trees were in leaf and obscuring the view.  Today I was a little luckier in that the trees are still quite bare, so there was a little gap.  It had to be my blip.

Not long before you reach this point, there's a bridge that spans the river (one of those bridges that swings alarmingly when walked on) this allows the keen photographer to walk along the opposite riverbank straight to the bridge and waterfall and there are many wonderful photographs of this scene online (and probably on Blip too :-) if you wish to see proper justice done to it.

We carried on and enjoyed the drive, especially the climb out of the glen, away from the lush forest and up into the barren hills.  Our ears were popping!

We passed a number of wooly friends again, who were happy to pose, but the saddest part of the day was stopping to talk to photograph a sheep only to find it sitting a little way from its poor dead newborn lamb.  When we stopped the sheep got up and went straight to the lamb then looked straight at us and baaaaa'd.  I couldn't decide if she was trying to protect her poor baby from us or begging for our help.  Nature is so cruel.  As we drove away she sat down again and my heart broke a little.

We carried on up and up till eventually we reached the crest of the hill with the summit of Ben Lawers above us still.  A few more twisting turns and Ben Lawers Dam came into view.  Not as creepy looking as the last time we were here.

I had been looking forward to walking half way across the damn and taking photos looking down the steep drop, but just like yesterday, luck wasn't on our side and the entrance to the dam was closed and some sort of repair work was taking place.  Had to settle for a shot looking up towards it instead.  In extras with a few others.

Back to the cottage for coffee and scones outside on the decked veranda.  The temperature had dropped so thank heavens I remembered to bring my crochet blankets!  lol!  It did warm up again thank goodness and D practiced his golf swing and I took pics of the little bird that was keeping me company.  I think it's a bullfinch? (Been corrected, it's a male chaffinch :-)

Freshly made to take away  fish and chips from Ben Lawers hotel just along the road were delicious and a perfect end to our short break.

Home tomorrow.