Ross Island – no I didn’t get all the way over but I packed a flask of tea plus a few sandwiches and made an interesting circular walk round there this evening. I couldn’t resist this shot from the Stell across the marina as I pulled out of town —

Then it was down to Ross Bay where I parked up at the farm and walked across the headland to the Irish Sea coast before turning east towards Ross Island. I have tried to make the small garden out front of my home butterfly friendly and have been concerned about the lack of butterflies. I needn’t have worried because with fewer cattle about I saw a myriad of butterflies tonight in the lightly grazed fields as I walked through.

Yep – fluttering butterflies and singing skylarks were all at play in and above the natural grassland full of wild flowers along the coastal strip in the late evening sunlight —

Then it was a tussle over the shoulder of the hill through the rough thigh-high growth for a view of Ross Island —

before taking a photo back along the estuary towards town —

I’m heading for one of the stony mounds in the previous picture where I know there is a flat table top rock ideal for my picnic tea —

H-mmm — this’ll do. Yes it’s the same rock I used for the original photo in my home page and I know I don’t look the same guy I was three – two – or even one year ago but that’s what comes of having an extra arsehole. It can become quite draining after a while —

Oh well — let’s hope after all the carving and grafting they’ve been doing back there over the last few months that the Glasgow surgeons will be able to give me some final tucks this weekend —

I had seen the Range boat anchored off the toe of Ross Island as a warning to visiting yachtsmen that the range was active so it wasn’t a surprise to hear the gruff staccato bark of a heavy machine gun at play on the military range at my back  I could only hope it wasn’t pointing my way as sure as shooting it wasn’t firing buckshot and would have spoiled my picnic had it come over 🙂

Time for one last lingering look over the island as I made my way across the fields —

then it was time to put the cattle to bed —

before heading on home myself —

The cattle weren’t the only ones settling down for the night. As I passed Dhoon Bay I caught a glimpse of this interesting team who had been busking complete with bagpipes by the Harbour Square in town earlier in the day —

Yes – there’s room for all in Kirkcudbright  🙂

Ross Island