Other places (1) Staffa and Lunga

I'm not sure that these places have a post code so we will stay with other places.

Staffa Tours run a fantastic trip from Tobermory and Kilchoan to the small isles.

Staffa was always a place I wanted to visit but to get to the boat that ran the trip, it seemed to be too far away.  Then we heard of the Tobermory/Kilchoan trip (actually it would be hard not to hear of as every overheard pub and cafe conversation seemed to be about THIS trip) and the game was on.
The boat is like a large smart bus...

inside, but outside...

it's a wild 30 or 40 knot white water ride.

- - -

To Staffa and a scramble over the hexagonal blocks...

To Fingall's Cave...

Totally quiet inside, it feels like a visit to a strangly exotic parish church, abeit with a very wet aisle..

Staffa and Fingall's Cave is the other end of the formation that is the Giant's Causeway in Northern Island.  Looking at the visitor centre and the huge number of people on the TV at the Giant's Causeway, I think that we picked the best end to visit.

Then to Lunga, and another scramble over the rocks to see the Puffins.

If I hide behind this stick then they won't see me

A Great Skua...

There are old, ruined settlements built with carefully rounded walls...

There were orchids...

Apparently on the next island (where you can't land for obvious reasons) there are orchids so rare that they exist nowhere else.

And more Puffins

A brilliant day out.

Fireworks

People are having celebrations, but it doesn't really get dark enough for fireworks until very late.

We are about as far away as we can get from November 5th fireworks, so I thought it might be a good idea to look back to last year and a first attempt to photograph the brief, bright expensivness of the whole thing.

Catherine wheels need more work.  I have written a note to self for next year to stop down the aperture and put a filter on so that the camer can capture more than half a revolution...

The garden looks weird under a different light...

and a few more..