My Preparation / Planning / Birding / Holiday..Scotland 2010

Our proposed Plan for our Trip to our family in Scotland
in June /July 2010.
We hope to depart from Uden here in Holland around 13:00
Friday 18 - 06 - 2010 travelling through Holland Belguim and part of France to Calais
Our Planned departure is with Seafrance Berlioz at 19:50
but hopefully leaving early we hope to board an earlier ferry as at this time of the Year its fairly quite so that hopefully shouldnt present any problems

Our return journey is also with SeaFrance Berlioz at 12:30
UK time on the 12 july 2010.

We will be driving through the night Ive invited my Friend Ben to join us with the Family in Scotland his first visit Ive help him with the Bed and Breakfast as he wants to travel around which gives me chance to do some
Birding mainly Bird Photograph in the Fife area.

The Family are off to Sunny Spain not my scence too hot and dont like sun and sand so Ive elected to Dog sit for Cassie my Daughters dog and our own a Westhighland Terrier called Skye Looking forward to that
just love dogs.
Will add more snippits as time marches towards our departure in June.....so I hope you,ll join me along the way. I will try to keep a day diary to record things throughout the Holidays so I really do hope you, ll enjoy it

Birdwatching in Fife

Fife is an excellent place in which to watch birds.This is partly because the region although fairly small by Scottish standards,covers a surprisingly great variety of habitats,almost all of which are easily reached by public roads and tracks. But it is also because Fife is surrounded on three sides by water. At migration time this increases the chance of interesting and unusual birds of passage,and provides a good sea-watching at all times of the year
Fife is predominately rural with small industrial belt lying in central and west fife.
The Kingdom is bounded to the North by the Tay estuary [ stretching from Newburgh out pasTentsmuir point and to the South by the huge Firth of Forth. At the Eastern tipof Fife lie Fife Ness and the North Sea.

North East Fife is rich, cultivated arable land with few trees and Hedgerows. The River Eden runs through Cupar and opens into a two mile estuary at Guardbridge
by the Historic university and Golf Course at St andrews. The East Nuek of Fife is the collective term for the South East fishing Villages of Crail Anstruther Cellardyke Elie Pittenweem and St Monans.

Fife contains almost no Natural Woodlands of any size, with the two biggest areas of Trees being the Forestry
Plantations at Tentmuir and Devilla Forests. The long Fife Coastline is composed of both Rocky shore and Sandy Beaches. The Isle Of May lies 5 miles South of Crail at the Entance to the Firth of Forth.
There are wonderful coastal paths to follow throughout Fife....Ive Walked From Pittenweem to Anstruther Celerdyke and The Artist Resort of Crail and freturned by Bus....the Other Direction Ive walked from Pittenweem to St Monons past The Old Salting House.
Some wonderful Places In Fife believe me.

The Photographs attached show the coastline from Pittenweem to Cellardyke taken July 2009

Scotland July 2007
My Family in Scotland fall under the Mac Gregor Clan

Gaelic: Mac Grioghair Motto: S'rioghal mo dhream
My Race is Royal
Origin of the name: Son of Gregory [ Flockman ]

Pipe Music: Ruag Ghlinnie Freonine Chase of Glen Freonin

Perthshire:

A Story relating to Balquidder :

My son in law lost his Father when he was sixteen....on his Mothers Birthday in 2007 he made a promise.She was 80.
His father always loved going to Balquidder if you,ve ever visited that area of Scotland you,ll understand why... the Family scattered his ashes near the Loch/Lake at Balquidder
He asked if with my Grandson Shane we would mind going to Balquidder...find a Garden Centre purchase a tree and Plant it near the Loch/Lake.So we duely drove from Pittenweem to Balquidder along our route we found a Help yourself and pay Garden place...no one in attendance we found a small acer for 3:99 put a fiver in the Pot on the bench and left.
We drove around and long the loch there ...we came to a Buddist Retreat...with there own fields across from the retreat. I drove up the Drive explained to the Monk on duty what we where planning...he said plant the Rememberance Tree our ground opposite and lent us a spade.
We left the retreat crossed the road into the sloping field Walked through a little white gate and Shane went down a very steep bank near to the loch and planted the Tree....something done with lots of pleasure and love for someone we have or never will met Brodie,s Father.....I hope the that tree is Blossomed into something special I feel sure it as.

We went to the Church at Balquidder the Burial place of Rob [ Roy ] Mac Gregor his Wife Mary and his two sons.
Rob was the son of Donald MacGregor and its believed that Rob was born in the Mid 1650,s. He died in 1753 in his own home at the far end of the Loch from Balquidder.
Whilst believed to be Mac Gregor country in fact the Hereditary Clan are the Maclarens.
A beautiful tranquil place should you be in that Area of Perthshire pay a visit.............

Next:.. Information On Anstruther Pleasure Trips but thats coming in due course...watch this space.

Two useful links for anyone interested:
www.snh.org.uk
www.isleofmayferry.com

Its thought that the island name comes from the Norsemen who called the island Maa Oy, which is norse for Gull Island.
The isle of May is owned and managed by the Scottish National Hertage[ SNH ] for more information visit the above Link. Thanks.
An outstanding attractive Island surrrounded by prolific fishing grounds, which supports the varied sea - life which lives there.The Island is one and a half miles long and half a mile wide with marked paths leading all over the Island affording excellent views of Wildlife and their habitat.
The first human settlers arrived in Fife around 8,000 years ago and made good use of the Isle of May
for fishing and hunting seals,earlist human activity that as been found so far on the isle a piece of pottery dated around 2000BC, ancient flint arrowheads have also been found.
It seems long before Christianity the island had some religious significance, this serene austere island certainly lends itself to peaceful thoughts with names like:
KIrkhaven
Alterstanes
The Angel and the Pilgrim.
The Visitors Wildlife Guide:

Typically: APRIL- MAY - JUNE - JULY are the best times to view the sea birds particularly the Puffins.
Please Nlote: The Puffins normally leave the Isle of May
in early Augusts and return around early April.

Sea-Birds Breeding on the Isle of May:
Fulmars - Shag - Elder - Osystercathers - Herring Gulls

Lesser Black-back Gulls - Great Black-backed Gulls -
Kittewakes - Sandwich Terns - Common Terns -
Artic Terns - Puffin - Gullimots - Razorbills.

ANSTRUTHER PLEASURE TRIPS: Anstruther Fife

The Boat sails once a day on the Tide.

Tickets are available from the Kiosk at Anstruther Harbour. April to 31st September

Prices: 2010:
Adult...................................19:00 Pounds

Concession: Retired/Student....17:00 Pounds

Child.......................................9:50 Pounds

Family Ticket:..........................50:00 Pounds

Child under 3...........................Free

Telephone Numbers:

Booking Line: 01333-310054

Sailing Info Line: 01333-310103

E.Mail: info@isleofmayferry.com

Hope you find this helpful if you decided to visit the beautifully Isle of May sometime ....I really hope you do
decide too in the future.

I will try to research different Villages along the Fife Coastline and maybe add a snip here and there until
will actually leave for Pittenweem.

Cuin'a thig sibh air cheilidh"......So when are you coming

Hope to visit Elie...Lower Largo Harbour St Monon
naturally Pittenweem Anstruther Harbour Cellerdyke as far as Crail....Travelling also from Pittenwem by Car to
the Harbour at St Andrews

Important Notice *****
My Friend Ben
Wednesday afternoon Ben came with his good
lady from the Hospital........he told me the Holiday for him and his wife had to be Cancelled.....asking why!!

He told me He has progressive Cancer and will recieve an
Operation on the 31st May....then one week in Hospital then two months rest at Home. Absolutely shocked over the news made me feel sick We were all so looking forward to travelling to Scotland together....Lord Buddha willing maybe another Time

Naturally I will place a progress report in my Blog over my good Friend Ben.....I know that everything will come good.....................

Attached Thumbnails