Arran Ridge Weekend. Caisteal Abhail, Ceum na Caillich (Witches Step) Revisited.

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I was kindly invited on a weekend trip to Arran for the May bank holiday with friends John and Gail. I shared the back seat with their dog, Chalky, although I didn't require a dog basket. As they intended taking their car over to Arran we went via Lochgilphead and Ardrishaig past Tarbet to get the smaller Kintyre ferry over to Arran. This seems like the long way round but according to Gail, who is an excellent organizer, it was only 20 minutes longer drive in the car as we intended camping at Lochranza where the ferry came in.

As I've said before I think Scottish towns and coastal villages are missing a trick by not painting their houses bright colours as it certainly cheers up the place, in sunshine or even drab weather. Tourists love it, artists love it, and photographers love it. Buildings with a smile. Who wants grey? Promoting "Happy Houses" up the west coast of Scotland should be the tourist board's next big plan. Not entire streets but just individual pastel or primary colours dotted around. Loads of colours and shades to choose from so they all look unique in their own right. What a difference it makes to a holiday rather than grey and off white villages everywhere, particularly drab looking in the rain or in midwinter. I bet tourist numbers would go up... Maybe it's a bad idea after all :o(

This is the ferry coming in with what I think is Meall nan Damh on Arran in the distance. A murky and misty day but as we didn't leave Glasgow until lunchtime we had not intended to climb any hills this Friday travel day and concentrated on getting to the campsite and setting up tents.

After dinner in the tents there was just enough time to have a walk around Lochranza and its castle, seen here, then head off to a good night in the local pub.

It was decided that Chalky, although game for anything, would stay with Gail on the Saturday as John and I intended doing the Caisteal Abhail and Witches Step horseshoe and we didn't think he'd like the vertical drops on the ridge. Gail was intending to Geo-cache all over Arran so this was a boy's day out to bag a memorable Corbett. Not all are mind you but this ridge traverse is very special and I didn't mind doing it again, although I'd climbed it with Alex a couple of seasons ago.

As John had never climbed this hill we decided to do it in reverse, after getting dropped off by Gail in North Glen Sannox, and made straight for the deep notch of Ceum Na Caillich, The Witches Step.

Years ago we would have probably climbed over both pinnacles but these days the walk up in sunny heat shattered us and we were more than happy to miss the left hand summit out, starting at the gap. The last time I'd almost soiled myself reversing down steep slabs of granite with human fly Alex taking a direct line, as usual, down the front face into the gap but this time I noticed a grassy ramp on the left trending upwards which was a far easier line.

This is it and we soon had the Witches Step over with. What a difference from that other time although its always harder reversing steep ground.

Witches Step just below. Beautiful long slabs of granite at an easy angle for walking up without sliding off over the edge.

Mild scrambling up ridge looking towards Goat Fell direction.

Caisteal Abhail ridgeline ahead.

Walking along easy path.

A view over towards Cir Mhor, one of the great Arran peaks. The paths on this horseshoe we were on are not so eroded as the main ridge line, being further out from Glen Rosa, where most of the hill walkers start from.

Hill-walkers on Cir Mhor summit.

We found a dead and dessicated snake on the ridge. Either a slow worm, (I know it's a lizard thanks:o) or a grass or smooth snake. Hard to tell as it was devoid of all colour and looked as though it had been dipped in silver due to wind and rain damage. I can verify it was certainly slow now... static in fact. True to form I handed out cards for my books to any hill walkers I met on the ridge. Plug, plug and plug again :o) I'd been reading Lesley Ann Jones' excellent biography  Ride A White Swan on Marc Bolan in my tent which includes great period detail about the 1960s, 1970s, David Bowie, The Who, and Elton John, and was struck again by how hard they had to sell themselves to get noticed. Despite the fact they were all extremely talented. Usually their best friends thought they were crap and wouldn't get anywhere. I know that feeling:o)
Incidentally, I mentioned deeper levels within Autohighography. When I started to write this book I looked at what publishers were interested in selling and the buzz words  "books on popular culture" "individual writing style" "original voice and ideas" all seemed to pop up repeatedly. So I decided to give them just that. Scrambling out of Ceum na Caillich, below.

For example...my "Sarah" did not grow up in Bromley. Kent. She did grow up in another suburb of South London and indeed Kent but Bromley was always the catalyst to meeting her. Being a huge fan of David Bowie, and Marc Bolan throughout my teenage years then enjoying the music of Siouxsie and the Banshees (formally members of the Bromley contingent) and having a passing interest in Aleister Crowley, H.G Wells and Enid Blyton books in my childhood, Bromley was always a place that fascinated me as it seemed to hold so many of my personal interests at that time. As soon as I was old enough to be independent therefore I made my way down there on trips over several years to see the place. Not on celebrity stalking expeditions, as that's not my style, but just out of teenage curiosity to visit the parks, places of interest and local haunts to see what  made this area special. I also visited Danson Park, Plumstead Cemetery, and the Welling area just to get a feel of the place for reasons some might work out. Meeting anyone "famous" didn't really enter into my thinking as the music and lyrics were what intrigued me most, then as now, and I've never liked "selfies" or collecting autographs as I don't get the concept. Why would you?
Oblique Strategies ( Eno and Schmidt) was far too highbrow and intellectual to follow in any real detail for me personally but I just liked the idea of "the thoughts behind the thoughts" and "lateral thinking" when it came to writing Autohighography.
" Sarah " would never say "Wow. This is amazing." (Chapter Two. The Ben Nevis Weekend) but another Kent female was well known for it years ago. All the clues are there folks and "popular culture, art and film references" are scattered throughout the chapters as well as a few subversive ideas of my own. It is an Autobiography of my life and interests, but not always written in a manner you might expect. Hence an easy to read surface story but with hidden depths. I would never have met the real "Sarah" without frequent curiosity trips to Bromley, London and the south coast during that time. I fell in love with both many decades ago.

Back to the Arran Ridge.

The near vertical drop, seen here, off Caisteal Abhail, 859 metres, came as a bit of a shock as we had ascended it last time without effort but it took facing in and sliding down the usual giant pile of granite oranges without many holds to reach the bottom of this enormous tor that makes up the summit block. Easy in descent but committing and not a place to fall from.

Luckily the grip underfoot is ok as handholds and footholds tend to be far apart and not where you want them. Sliding on stomachs to the next ledge down seemed to work best here as each ledge was always within stretching distance of feet. Sadly for scrambling ability, both our stomachs, being middle aged, are increasingly orange shaped as well :o(

The rest of the ridge was easy except for John hunting dutifully for Geo-caches as Gail had given him a list. She was down below in the valley searching for her own set of hidden objects after dropping us off. (see next post)

The easy section of Caisteal Abhail. A great day out with good company and weather.

Arran is one of my favourite islands.

And a great sunset back in Lochranza.
Autohighography. Bob Law. Comedy outdoor novel set in Glasgow and Scotland. Link here. £1:14pence on Kindle.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JNAIGAO/ref=s9_simh_bw_p351_d8_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=019EDQRWG80A1KRRA1RF&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=586953587&pf_rd_i=341689031

A Guide to Walking and Cycling around the River Clyde and the Firth of Clyde. Over 80 routes from New Lanark to Girvan and 146 original colour photographs. £1:99. Link here.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00P1IO2SM/ref=s9_simh_bw_p351_d8_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=019EDQRWG80A1KRRA1RF&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=586953587&pf_rd_i=341689031

Dr Neil's Secret Garden. Duddingston Loch. Untamed Edinburgh. Help!

                                              ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN.
I've saved the best for last in this final post on the charms of Edinburgh. I wanted an honest and real kaleidoscope of the images, evolving thoughts and feelings during my long, action packed, but not unduly hard walking day tour of Edinburgh. The capital is a great place for walking or cycling with the River Almond, The Water of Leith, The Union Canal, Arthur's Seat, Braid Hills, Corstorphine Hill and Blackford Hill all within the city limits yet laced with a network of walking and cycling tracks with many more dedicated paths and lanes connecting through the busy urban areas to the coastal promenade. The view above though is the one that excited me the most. An enchanting and seductive unknown forest captured with the mint fresh tang of bright green leaves in various hues. My sweet Persephone reborn:the eternal debutant daughter of Spring twirling in all her glory once again. More than 40 shades of green on offer here yet grey is where the masses seem to flock and heap attention on today. My gain and their loss. A glance at the map revealed it to be Duddingston golf course which explains why I've never visited this unknown and compelling area before now. Never mind....we will meet very soon for the rotunda dance under bright starlight.

This area, facing south east, away from old Edinburgh, is a green and sylvan delight. Duddingston, where I was parked, could just be glimpsed at the bottom of the meadow, then Greendyke and Niddrie, where a giant called Gulliver used to reside, then the squat bulk of Craigmillar Castle, Liberton and  Gracemount fading into distant hills. A grand view, almost lycanthrope coated, obscured by thick forest of the type that usually exists in fairy tales.
http://www.armadale.org.uk/niddrie.htm
Posted this particular link above because it is very hard to find any decent pictures of the popular public art sculpture which used to exist in the Craigmillar/Niddrie area. It was remarkable and unique both in size and in imagination yet despite being opened by Billy Connolly was mainly ignored by many in the art world and seems to have been forgotten, except by the locals. Jim Knowles appears to have been one of the few to capture it properly for posterity with his excellent kite photography so I hope he doesn't mind me linking to his site. If he does I'll remove it right away.   

http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2009/07/27/7791-1467/  I only found out about this remarkable sculpture around five years ago as it was not widely publicized during it's lifetime as far as I know, certainly not in Glasgow as I don't remember it but maybe because it was by a former convict with a violent history and was situated in a deprived area as it was then before redevelopment. To me it's the concept that's important here years later, not the man behind it and I've often scratched my head at modern art works consisting of a few lines and a squiggle, yet supposedly worth millions. As soon as I saw this though my thought's were "Wow! Wish I'd visited it before it was removed." Yes, it is simplistic, straightforward, and "naive" but that's what makes it so special. A thing of wonder.

My next port of call was another Edinburgh secret, but one that tourists will be more interested in. As my car was close by I had a short tour of Duddingston village, which is very pretty with a lot of olde world charm and met a friendly local women who led me into Dr Neil's Garden which adjoins the loch's nature reserve. The garden is a real labour of love and packs a lot into its few acres on the north east side of Duddingston Loch. It was so extraordinary I wasn't even going to post it on here, given the unnecessary litter in a previous post, which was still uppermost on my mind but I relented when I noticed a message on exit which asked for donations and willing friends of the area and seemed to want some publicity as the garden is losing its grant from the NTS and maybe even its gardener.

Every little helps and this is a remarkable place. Like a setting from a children's fantasy film.

Loads of curving paths weave down a gentle slope to the edge of Duddingston Loch, and flowers, colourful shrubs, and exotic trees are everywhere.

A real delight.

Duddingston Loch from the garden.

Flower growing against a sun drenched stone wall in another nearby public area, which is sign posted.

Like Narnia, a mysterious alcove door in a hedge, not quite a wardrobe, reveals yet another display of flowers and a different aspect.

Many of them unusual.

Bluebells.

Daisy carpet.

A path and yellow poppies above a forget-me-not border.
http://www.drneilsgarden.co.uk/  Link to gallery and info here.
I was further delighted on this amazing walk to find even this remarkable garden was not the highlight of my day. Next door, and maybe cared for by the garden staff or the locals in Duddingston, a brilliant wildlife scenario was taking place as the sun was going down and Duddingston loch revealed its true colours.

Who needs to go abroad with views and scenery like this right here in Scotland.

Geese herder in action on the path. I've heard of a pelican crossing but here you have to stop for Canada geese to walk past in line. Maybe I was just lucky here at this time. I usually am with wildlife though and the Rottweiler and the Alsatian mentioned in the previous post are now firm dating friends with yours truly.... but no pups are planned yet.

Animals of all sorts appeared.

Another drinker moth caterpillar eating grass.

A large and beautifully coloured beetle landed on my boot. At this point... out of the corner of my eye... I noticed a very strange sight. It was still broad daylight yet an amorous couple were having sex on the grass right in front of me. I was well aware Edinburgh was and still is a cosmopolitan and broadminded city as even in my teens Edinburgh had pole dancers and naked strippers in bars long before Glasgow entertained such frivolous and outlandish ideas. This was beyond the pale though. I was, to say the least stunned. Nay, outraged! "Black affronted" as Maw Broon would say. I froze on the spot- rooted to the ground like an embarrassed limpet! They didn't seem bothered by me being there at all, In fact, to make matters worse they were actually being watched by several others in the bushes and it wasn't even dark yet.
Which to photograph first? I concentrated my attention on the beetle as it was unfolding its wings to fly away and I didn't blame it with such shameless shenanigans going on.

Like a gull wing car or chitty chitty bang bang taking off it exploded upwards in a noisy clatter.

I couldn't believe all this activity was going on so close to Edinburgh's busy main attractions.

What would the Scottish Parliament make of couples having sex outdoors in broad daylight in a respectable suburb? Is it now a tourist attraction you can drive past in an open topped bus? Would the Queen approve?

Glasgow may have its problems but this was taking the "bohemian lifestyle" way too far.

Even the new buildings in the capital had an unnatural unwholesome curvyness to them that hinted at lustful carnal thoughts. As I watched astonished yet more couples appeared from nowhere and started getting jiggy with an audience watching every move and thrust. Was this how Edinburgh behaved of an evening? I blame that notorious festival and ever growing fringe every year for this drop in standards of decency. As a right thinking Glaswegian I was disgusted by this outrageous display in the racy suburbs and couldn't wait to get back to my own dear city where moral values are still cherished highly.
 I document these images only to show the viewers what really goes on in Edinburgh as the shadows... and other things... lengthen. Never in my puff have I witnessed such blatant debauchery. "Help ma Boab!" as Oor Wullie would say.

The courtship.

Out in the open.

The unconcerned onlookers.

Round two... or three... then 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10 with multiple partners.
Sedate Glasgow has never looked so tame, appealing and peaceful and I couldn't leave Edinburgh fast enough. Must be because it's traditionally had ties to liberal Amsterdam and the Low Countries via it's ports facing Europe. Shocking stuff for a shy boy like me.
The End.