Moving Day … to Kingussie …
Well today I have to drive over to Kingussie where another cottage awaits …
Regardless of which route I take I have travelled more than 50% of both of them at one time or another in the last two weeks so I choose the shortest route as determined by the GPS. About half way in I start to think the slightly longer but mainly motorway route may have been a wiser choice. For some reason today the narrow, one lane, twisty, blind crested and pot-holed roads annoy more than normal. And it’s not just me, all the Scots I talk to think the roads are a disgrace as well!
Never the less it only takes about 2½ hours to get there and I am not supposed to be early so as I drive past and see several cars parked out the front I presume either the previous guests have not left or maybe the cleaners are hard at work so I carry on to Kingussie to see if there is a local co-op, there is, where I can get supplies for the week. I decide to leave some items until I have had a chance to check out the facilities properly as last week’s accommodation may have led to unrealistic expectations!
As I drive around I begin to realise that “the Cairngorms are completely different from Skye, not just visually, but in the style of use as well. It seems that they are the centre of activities based on using as much energy as possible, cycling, swimming, rollerblading, jogging and especially walking. It’s beginning to look like the only way to get to the more interesting places is to hike about 20 miles!
For today, while I wait for my accommodation to be organised, I settle for a walk around the Frank Bruce Sculpture Trail. Apparently this bloke got a bit carried away with a chainsaw on some of the dead trees lying about … I have seen the same thing in Tasmania not too long ago and it was pretty clever … so this bloke better be good. The notice board says “Frank Bruce was creating sculptures from stone and wood from 1965 until his untimely death in 2009. Never formally trained in art , he developed the style of Archetypal Abstraction, creating unique works.” I think that means I won’t be able to recognise anything but fortunately there will be only one of each …
While I am not impressed with the overall sculptures there are a few details which could almost be called interesting.
But really a fungus growing on one of them is more interesting in the afternoon sunlight.
And many of them have deteriorated and collapsed on the ground, which in some cases makes them more interesting.
By now my cottage should be ready so I return, and find the same cars in the driveway. Hmmm.
I ring the doorbell but there is no answer … then in a completely atypical feat of memory in recent times I remember the combination to the small key-safe beside the door. The front door unlocks easily and as no one answers my “Hello!”s and “Anyone here?”s I make my way inside. It is quite pleasant but about half the size, if I’m generous, of last week’s accommodation. Never the less it’s big enough for just me. By now the afternoon is wearing on so I take a quick inventory and decide I won’t be doing any gourmet cooking this week so it’s back to Kingussie for basic essentials.
Up to now I haven’t been seeing any great potential for photography in this area of Scotland. All the surrounding hills are capped with snow but they are low and distant on the horizon. But as I round one corner on the way I catch a glimpse of a loch off to one side with no wind blowing on it and several colourful yachts just floating on their reflections. It’s not hugely interesting but as I pull off to take a quick shot I notice at least three other cars pull off behind me and lots of people jumping out with cameras as well.
Pleasant enough but not about to win too many awards.
It doesn’t take long too pick up the few extras I need and hightail it back to Thyme Cottage.
I throw a few things in a pot and have a look out the back window for the first time. The cottage backs on to a belt of pine trees which are just being highlighted by the setting sun … not very interesting in themselves but the light has a nice quality … it is different from Oz.
As I am spending a day with “creative blur” experts Leeming and Paterson next week I decide to get in a little practice
And manage to get a couple I quite like
before I have to nip back inside and tend to dinner.
After dinner I have to re-assess my options and plan out what I intend to do for this next week I am here …
Comments powered by CComment