Loch Garten

The thunderstorms predicted yesterday did not materialise today, so we enjoyed (yet) another warm, still, sunny day on holiday in the highlands. We spent most of it at the RSPB reserve at Loch Garten, travelling there by bike.

First of all we walked up to the visitor centre. Here, through binoculars and on video feeds, we watched osprey Asha and her two chicks (but not their father Brodie, who has been missing for two days), and families of goshawks and great tits. Then we followed the trail along Loch Garten to the head of Loch Mallachie. We stopped along the way to eat our picnic, close to the spot blipped. On our returm to the bikes, we called into the visitor centre again, hoping to hear that Brodie might have reappeared with food for his family. He had not.

We then cycled back to Carrbridge to reach the Bakery café just before it closed for the afternoon. We sat outside next to a party of three young Dutch cyclists to eat brownies with tea (for me) and cappuccino (Mr hazelh).

We've had a quiet evening at the guest house and are hoping to dodge thunderstorms again tomorrow. Currently it looks like they will arrive at 1pm and continue until 5pm. We'll see...

In the meantime, I am worrying about the two baby ospreys and their errant father.

Exercise today: 15 miles of cycling; walking (12,491 steps).