Welcome to my challenge of venturing down and around Whaligoe Steps for each and every day for an entire year. As my adventures continue, I’m accumulating quite a few photographs and also documenting a lot of activity. Therefore, I felt it only appropriate to provide you with links from my previous blogs…
Here are some links to previous blog entries showcasing my visits from May 1st, 2023, up to and including Sunday, November 12th, 2023…
The first fourteen blogs covering my daily treks down and around Whaligoe Steps since May 1st, 2023 up to and including November 12th, 2023.
I hope you find it interesting, maybe beautiful and also stimulating. To focus attention on one specific location and watch it evolve and change over the seasons thus far, has proved most intriguing.
Nature continues to share changes and new revelations. I’m currently in the process of sorting two more blogs bringing us up to speed with the calendar as I have successfully maintained my daily treks to this very point in time.
Thank you, only always for dropping by and supporting my endeavours and for being You.
Daylight is becoming shy as the season of autumn falls on this coastal location at Whaligoe Steps, in Caithness, Scotland. Sightings of the moon in conjunction with some more beautiful sunrises give nature a presence so precious.
Links to the previous episodes which document my attempt to go down or around, or both, regarding the six zig-zagging flights of rustic stone steps known as Whaligoe Steps, which wind their way down a two hundred and fifty foot cliff face can be clicked on below…
I began these adventures walking down the Whaligoe Steps each and every day from May 1st, 2023… By the end of this month of October I will have succeeded in tackling a trek around this rustic coastal location for a whole six months. Encounters with deer, rabbits, curlew, various seabirds, a stoat, a grey seal and being gifted the many witness accounts of varying sunrises have all shown me the wonders of what the natural world has to offer, alongside the coldest sea in the world.
This blog entry is sharing some highlights collated from October 2nd, 2023 up to and including Sunday, October 15th, 2023…
Oct. 2nd, 2023: In one direction was a stunning sunrise over the North Sea… I turned around and noticed behind the flora, a faint but present moon fading into the daylight…
Oct. 3rd, 2023: A rabbit plays peek-a-boo whilst a dazzling sunrise takes place on the horizon, melting clouds and shimmering at the beginning of daybreak.
Oct. 4th, 2023: Despite the temperatures dropping, the wind picking up and the general lack of daylight, the local flora still puts on a show during the overcast conditions of the day.
Oct. 5th, 2023: Off-shore wind farm called Beatrice is just over eight miles from the coastline, and the shadows of the wind turbines loom in the foreground of another scorching sun.
On this particular trek, I caught a glimpse of Star as she went hunting in the verge…
Oct. 6th, 2023: Shades in a sunrise differ depending on the skies. Not that it would cross the mind of a grey seal, which was spotted at Whaligoe Steps perusing the local waters…
Oct. 7th, 2023: Early on a Saturday afternoon, I was fortunate enough to not only witness a rock pipit hopping from stone to stone, but also one of the wild rabbits which inhabit a vibrant community here at the ‘Steps.
Oct. 8th, 2023: Looking magnificent after Charlie’s stonemasonry, the second flight of the six which make their way down the cliff face.
Despite the drizzle during this trek, I was pleased to witness the grey seal swimming around in some restless tides.
Oct. 9th, 2023: Waves became excitable when analysed closely, yet from a distance they rapidly diminished when seen within the context of a radiant sunrise.
Oct. 10th, 2023: Jagged rock and the Whaligoe Steps provide the shapes for what nature likes to work with. Below is a point beside the Bink where a hole exists filled with rubble.
An angle taken of the ‘forgotten flight’ (fifth flight of Whaligoe Steps) as it curls towards the Bink.
Oct. 11th, 2023: There’s gold in them skies I tell you!
During a Wednesday trek I was astounded by the beautiful sunrise. A wonderful opportunity to capture a silhouette too.
Oct. 12th, 2023: Talking of silhouettes…
These past few days, the waterfall has been rife as the water from the higher ground has been adding to the generosity of flow.
Oct. 13th, 2023: The wild rabbits love the sunshine.
A photograph showcasing the work Charlie Juhlenski did on the third flight of Whaligoe Steps.
Oct. 14th, 2023: A grim day as the weather continues to bite. The lack of seabirds has made an eerie presence to the skies and the ledges of the cliffs, so it was a delight to see this great black-backed gull enjoying the ripe breeze of the North Sea.
Oct. 15th, 2023: During my Sunday afternoon trek down and around Whaligoe Steps, not only was the weather cold and almost uninviting, but Star provided some light relief by being cute.
Jackdaws ponder over which direction to travel via the John O’Groats trail…
So until the next blog entry, I must say with hearty gratitude a sincere THANK YOU for your support reading and looking at these blogs, and for taking some time to check out my postings on social media.
This whole experiment with investing time and money in ‘Whaligoe Eye’ has been a truly profound experience, and with the Highland Council working in the background on how they’re going to utilise their £90,000 budget to create a better infrastructure here at Whaligoe Steps, there is some real room for optimism regarding a safer and more appropriate car park for residents and visitors alike in the future.
I hope you take care, stay safe and have a positive fortnight until my next blog entry.
Here we are together, experiencing a daily taste of life around Whaligoe Steps.
This blog entry is thrilled to celebrate the duration from Monday, 26th of June, 2023, up to and including Sunday, the 9th of July, 2023.
A fortnight which provided some results regarding photographic evidence of grey wagtails and curlews, the elusive oystercatcher too, plus some stunning views along the way.
Rabbits are prolific, but not all plain brown wild bunnies. For some reason, this area has a culture of providing many different looking rabbits.
Enough of the introduction, let’s get on with checking out some images.
June 26th, 2023: Two gull chicks enjoy the rays of a glowing sunrise. In another part of Whaligoe Steps, a wild rose tries not to draw attention.
June 27th, 2023: You don’t often see birdlife relaxing with bunnies, but on this particular morning stroll around the ‘Steps, such a thing was caught by the camera. In the other snapshot of life around this northerly part of the United Kingdom coastline, a black guillemot swims rapidly by an unimpressed razorbill.
June 28th, 2023: Whaligoe Steps is made up of six flights, here are two of them. Flight number four goes in a nice straight line downwards, although it’s not in great condition like the first three from the top. The other photograph is what is affectionately called the ‘forgotten’ flight as it’s not as large as the others, and is the fifth flight overall starting from the top of the ‘Steps.
June 29th, 2023: Wild rabbits seem to be commonplace along the top of Whaligoe Steps. I wonder if they’re partial to mayweed? I used to call them large daisies, don’t tell anyone I said that.
June 30th, 2023: Talking of the flora around this area, captured for posterity on this particular Friday morning were some Turk’s cap lilies. Plus in the other photograph, what is called red campion befriending cow parsley. I enjoy the gentle ambience of seeing photographs of flowers blooming.
July 1st, 2023: You know how I said there are six flights which make up Whaligoe Steps, this is a photo of the second flight. It was recently repaired and maintained by the stonemason, Charlie Juhlenski. There’s a plaque in the stone work which is a tribute to his Mum, Etta. In the other photograph during this drizzly morning, I photographed the horizon as you look out across the North Sea. According to some sources online, the North Sea is made up of 290,000 square miles of liquid and life.
July 2nd, 2023: An interesting looking wild rabbit, plus one of the pebble shores. When you stand on the Bink (grassy platform at the base of the zig-zagging ‘Steps), there are three notable areas sectioned off by coastal rock. This marks out three areas.
July 3rd, 2023: I’m so pleased to share with you these next photographs. The local oystercatchers have been quite a challenge as they are either early birds, or they enjoy the rough weather of wind and rain. This has made photographing them tricky. At long last, a fairly decent photo.
The wee brown bird is a rock pipit I believe. I’ve seen two pairs of them hopping about around the pebble shoreline.
July 4th, 2023: Not so early during this particular Tuesday morning, I got caught in a light shower during my trek. A cute bird on the actual Whaligoe Steps, hopping around and enjoying life.
Out to sea, one of many boats which navigate the tides along this coastline.
July 5th, 2023: A thistle full of joy along the side of a flight of ‘Steps, plus a photograph of the Bink in front of the impressive cliff face. You may also note the shallow cave which makes up the third area along the pebble shoreline. The wall incidentally on the right within this image is part of the salt house remains, which are merely a shell of their former glory.
July 6th, 2023: What a stunning sunrise during this particular Thursday morning trek. Caught the sun and silhouettes in quite a spectacular moment. I then headed down the Whaligoe Steps to witness the glow over the North Sea.
July 7th, 2023: It brings me a lot of pleasure to share these next photographs. On the left is the distinctive appearance of a curlew standing proudly on a lonely boulder. To know they exist here is another lovely discovery.
Also captured for posterity during this specific visit down and around the ‘Steps, I caught sight of this beautiful grey wagtail skipping around with another one. Sighted around the first pebble shore.
July 8th, 2023: Star, the resident moggy here at Whaligoe Steps has been great company during my treks since the beginning of May. She is certainly not bored of seeing rabbits and rodents!
For about a week or more, the young shags have left their respective nests and have huddled together on a rocky island in the North Sea. From here, they are sampling life as independent young seabirds.
July 9th, 2023: Another intense but brief sunrise. To see the sun like this is quite something.
The other photograph is another angle of the Bink which takes in a bit of the final flight of Whaligoe Steps. Those flat stones next to the flight of ‘Steps are all that remains of what was a boat winch. In early black and white photographs, a boat winch was evident in that location. Luckily, if you visit the Whaligoe Steps, there’s still a boat winch on display. Situated to the side of the Bink, overlooking the first pebble shore.
All going well, my next blog entry covering the challenge of visiting down and around Whaligoe Steps every day for twelve months, shall reveal photos from Monday the 10th of July, up to Sunday, July 23rd.
Wherever your life is sailing to, I hope that you’re safe and have a positive journey. Thank you for your company to this point, it means a lot. I hope you’ve enjoyed these moments and snapshots of nature and life down and around these fabulous ‘Steps. With a history dating back to the 1600s, they are a feat of engineering and stories.
So far, so good. In my last blog entry I divulged my hopes to make a trek down Whaligoe Steps at least once every day for 365 days. To capture this momentous series of visits I was planning to take photographs of my adventures, and so it continues.
This is another blog entry showcasing some highlights from the past fortnight. Sit back and browse some newly photographed wildlife around Whaligoe Steps to be included on this website, plus some of the usual neighbours and some delightful ambience. Two photos for each day from May 15th to May 28th inclusively.
May 15th, 2023: Below are examples of the wildlife you may spot on a trek down Whaligoe Steps. A wren sings to the backdrop of a radiant sunrise, while the other other photograph showcases a first for this website, at the top of the Steps a roe deer ponders the morning.
May 16th, 2023: A shag (gulosus aristotelis) gives their wings a little stretch and on this particular visit I also noted how clear the North Sea was. The broken anchor submerged adds some nautical presence.
May 17th, 2023: Time for some vibrant colour and a contribution of flora thanks to the beautiful bluebell and marsh buttercup. During this fortnight, both flowers were prominent.
May 18th, 2023: There is a pebble shoreline at the base of the Whaligoe Steps which is divided into three sections. The furthest section has a shallow cave (pictured below), and the other photograph captures Star in full prowling mode.
May 19th, 2023: There’s a healthy quantity of seabirds to spot around the coastline here, and on day 19, I have these two photographs to share. A couple of black guillemot relax beside a calm North Sea, and trying to conceal their location behind vegetation is an attentive gull.
May 20th, 2023: A striking narcissus insists on being photographed in front of a bank of bluebells. In the other photograph, a typical example of the metalwork which is located at points within the local landscape. It was used for nautical purposes, especially during the ‘herring fisheries’ of the late 1700s onwards.
May 21st, 2023: A male eider duck taking a waddle along a grassy pathway along the top of Whaligoe Steps, whilst a little later during this particular morning trek, light filters through the prominent cloud to add textures to the surface of the sea.
May 22nd, 2023: On two trips down Whaligoe Steps on this specific day, different atmospheres were evident. In the afternoon a seagull swoops down only to get a surprise when a grey seal head breaks the surface of the sea! During my morning visit, I photographed a pied wagtail skipping along on the Bink.
May 23rd, 2023: Again I have examples of an afternoon and a morning in a day at Whaligoe Steps. Firstly, during an afternoon gazing at the movement in the North Sea not too far from the salt house, I caught a glimpse of an otter for the first time down here! Secondly, during a morning exploration beneath a soft sunrise, a pigeon of all things hops from one bit of coastal rock to the next.
May 24th, 2023: There are six flights of stone steps which make up the Whaligoe Steps. Here’s a taster of the first proper flight as you descend the cliff face. Once you have negotiated the six flights (at the time of these blog entries three have been expertly renovated and repaired by Charlie who is shown in previous blogs, while the remaining three are to be approached with vigilance due to their worsening state), there is a platform known as the Bink where you’ll find the remains of a salt house…
May 25th, 2023: Rock pipit unaware I was on a shelf of coastal rock above it, so fortunate to get that photo. Some ambience captured during a really bright sunrise…
May 26th, 2023: During these first 28 days of visiting the Whaligoe Steps, I’ve been privileged to share my journeys with the song of a friendly and enchanting wren on several mornings. In the second photograph below, a female eider duck swims eagerly through a shimmering sea confronted by a sunny glow.
May 27th, 2023: I believe this is a cabbage white butterfly clinging in the sea breeze to a dandelion. The other photograph below is a spectacle I’m enjoying as it unfolds, a couple of adult shags nurturing three babies. They give a distinct squeak at random intervals and at this stage are fluffy and gaining confidence of the wider world in the safety of their nest.
May 28th, 2023: During an afternoon visit, took a photograph of the sixth flight of Whaligoe Steps which takes you to the Bink (grass platform). You’ll notice the salt house which is situated behind. The other photo was a delight, as a grey seal relaxed on a section of coastal rock known as the Shoal o’ the head.
Thank you to those who have shared their well wishes for this adventure and challenge, it’s very much appreciated. To date, since May 1st, I’ve already been thrilled to get a photo of a roe deer, an otter, a good photograph of a rock pipit and a pied wagtail, plus the recent grey seal viewing. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the local nature continues to share some wonderful moments.
Look out for the next entry in this ongoing observation of life around Whaligoe Steps, as I hope to continue capturing images of my daily visits.
Not someone who would shy away from a challenge (within reason), I have been pondering over whether it would be possible to tackle a trek down Whaligoe Steps every day for one year. Capturing whatever I witness on each of those visits via my trusty camera for posterity. My challenge began after some preparation on May 1st, 2023.
So as this challenge evolves, I’ll share with you a couple of photographs from each day to give you an idea what a wonder this whole idea should result in. Imagine a 365 day tour of the Whaligoe Steps?!
This is the first blog to share some photographs and observations during the first fortnight…
May 1st, 2023: Drizzly start to my challenge, but saved by some relaxing ambience and a dandelion awaiting a wish…
May 2nd, 2023: Seabirds enjoying the soft glow of sunlight, and a singing wren within the distance of an outstretched arm…
May 3rd, 2023: Above, photographic ambience of an early morning at Whaligoe Steps…
May 4th, 2023: Cloudy start to the day at Whaligoe Steps, breezy and overcast…
May 5th, 2023: Strong winds bring restless waves, while on land the presence of primrose is felt…
May 6th, 2023: Above, photographic evidence of nature’s foam party in the aftermath of the stormy day prior, plus some thrift offer solace with their gentle sway in the breeze…
May 7th, 2023: Plenty of rocky sculptures in this rustic setting, whilst the flora witnesses seabirds glide on air…
May 8th, 2023: A female eider duck paddles in the North Sea unaware of the drizzle which falls, while the broken anchor which dwells on a pebble shore remains stoic in this wet weather…
May 9th, 2023: More rain relents on this day, captured for posterity by the branches of a cotoneaster on Whaligoe Steps, plus the rocks on a pebble shore wear quite a striking sheen…
May 10th, 2023: This month has showcased the differing coats a dandelion wears, while elsewhere around the Whaligoe Steps you may stumble across cobwebs hosting baby spiders…
May 11th, 2023: Side view of the Bink which is the grassy/muddy platform at the base of the six zig-zagging flights of ‘Steps, plus another guise of the humble dandelion…
May 12th, 2023: Three wishes are waiting, plus a view looking to the North Sea from the Bink and including the salt house…
May 13th, 2023: Local feline presence, Star, eagerly watches a patch of grass, as further down Whaligoe Steps you’ll find a razorbill startled at the sudden flight of a resident shag…
May 14th, 2023: Guillemots enjoying the ambience of the North Sea, as a sailing boat soaks up the sea air…
A sunrise captured for posterity on the 29th of April, 2023. Not just golden in a visual sense, but an opportunity photographed and shared for what is a blog touching on historic postcards. Postcards regarding this coastline of the Highlands of Scotland, and the fishing industry which celebrated the ‘herring fisheries’ in a big way around the latter part of the 1700s.
Here, overlooking the area along the top of the Whaligoe Steps, not only am I going to share some postcards but I will also share some poetry and an update about some painted stones which I hid around the Steps. Thank you for your time, it’s always appreciated.
No writing on the other side of the above postcard, but it’s a personal favourite showing a sample of the culture. “A Scotch Fisher Lassie”. During the research for my batch of postcards, the number in the bottom left hand corner is identified as a series number, not a date.
This John O’ Groats postcard was sent to Gosport, Hampshire (England), and stamped by the local Post Office in 1929. John O’ Groats is a 31 minute drive (23 miles) from Whaligoe Steps according to ‘Google Maps’.
Another favourite is this postcard of Keiss Castle, posted to Bognor Regis (England) back in 1906. According to ‘Google’ it is a 20 minute drive from Whaligoe Steps to Keiss, which covers a distance of just over 14 miles.
The above postcard provides a glorious hint of the Wick Harbour area, enthusiastic with sea-going activity. Sadly, the year isn’t visible on the other side of the ‘card, but the address it was posted to resided on the Orkney Isles.
As a sample of my ever-growing collection of postcards, I wish to share this last one for now which showcases Wick Harbour (now known as ‘Wick Marina’). What looks like a clock on a building to the left of the above postcard as you look at it, has been identified as a barometer and it’s still there at the time of this blog entry.
Thanks to a gentleman via the Whaligoe Eye Facebook platform, he advised of a tragedy which became known as ‘Black Saturday’ (1848), where a calm night of fishing turned into a deadly storm. As a result of the following enquiry a barometer was installed.
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Recently, Stuart Matthews assembled some fabulous poetry from a community via the Twitter social media platform again, and I am thrilled to say I had two poems included among these talented souls.
‘Weave Words Within Waves’ is now available from all good book retail sources, and is known as the sixth release in his ‘Instant Eternal’ series.
I try to craft and share a poem once a day as often as I can via Twitter, and enjoy reading other contributions daily. These recent poems generally have a photograph I’ve taken included, to provide a context or art-related addition. Here are two of my recent poems which I shared with poetry enthusiasts during April, 2023…
“Like a Flower”
When sooner meets later In poems on paper
Are you dawn, where hope’s reborn?
Are you day, come what may?
Are you dusk, when needs must?
Are you night, losing light?
Manifest moments to make all four Like a flower writes verses here on the floor
The above photo was taken in my garden on the 14th of April, and the poem was crafted on the same day.
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“Ocean Wide”
Like gazing at an ocean wide You seek a truth that’s not denied
To forgive when heart so blue Would mean a sacrifice from you
What lengths would you go To catch that falling star?
When you’ve grown these wings In the near to reach so far
The above poem and photograph date to April 11th, 2023.
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During the 17th of April, 2023, one of the neighbours dropped by to assist with some stone-painting. Decorating stones and pebbles with all manner of designs proved both therapeutic and fun for all concerned. Some of these stones are pictured below, and I hid them in various locations dotted around Whaligoe Steps.
Painting these small rocks always provides entertainment in not only the creative process, but also hiding them, and then finding out where they went to. One specific painted stone proved popular and I was notified yesterday (April 30th) that it had made the journey back to Malta!!!
The painted stone you see above keeping the radiant primrose company, was on April 18th, 2023. It was relocated several times and then disappeared. Well, to know it landed in Malta is a lovely surprise, and I thank you for sharing your update and thank you for being You.
As it says on the stone, “Let love sparkle”
I ended up taking a lot of nature-themed photographs throughout April around Whaligoe Steps, and here are just a few I wish to share with you…
As the season is upon us for visitors, nature and adventure, I’ll be adding more blog posts soon.
Until next time, thank you as always for your time and kindness. Sending you positive wishes.
This is my third blog documenting highlights and outlining what was achieved around Whaligoe Steps, and in some isolated instances, further afield in the county of Caithness, during a The Wildlife Trusts | The Wildlife Trusts initiative called ’30 Days Wild’.
Since 2015, the Wildlife Trust has inspired individuals of all walks of life to appreciate and understand better the natural world which surrounds them.
So many highlights and revelations were taken from this thirty day duration of wildlife observation and study. There were moments of creativity like the stone painting and a little poetry. Times of celebrating specific wildlife or in the case of literature, celebrating the writings of author John Horne.
Expectations were dashed and simultaneously exceeded when no sighting of an orca during a tour of the north sea coastline took place, but yet despite not seeing deer during the ‘wild camp out’ a sighting was made several days later. The photo of a gannet (Morus bassanus) above on the very last trek down the Whaligoe Steps was a real gift, as were the images captured of butterflies from the garden here.
Snails were abundant one soggy morning eclipsing all other wildlife, as white-lipped snails danced in slow-motion on the prominent flora. Initial ideas for that specific day were sidelined as I photographed the snails moving about all around me.
Plenty of captured memories which give me a lot of pleasure in sharing with you. If you’ve visited this location before at Whaligoe Steps, maybe it’ll be of interest. On the other hand, if you simply enjoy viewing wildlife images including birdlife, wildflowers, the sea or even the skies, then I hope this blog entry with the previous two give you something of interest.
Locations during this month of natural appreciation ended up with most love landing at the door of Whaligoe Steps obviously, but you’ll also note the north coastline boat trip I took around the John O’Groats area, Dunnet Forest for some alternative terrain, two local gardens to the Whaligoe Steps and the recognition to the Wildlife Trust streaming section of their official website. This is where I tipped my hat to Norfolk (water voles) and ‘Scotland’ (Peregrine falcons).
Thank you only always for your time and interest, time for me to set sail again…
In passing when I’ve been talking with visitors to Whaligoe Steps, I occasionally get asked about what it is like living here during the winter season. Looking through my photographs of Whaligoe Steps taken over the years, I didn’t find any really good ones which showcased a visual for the winter season.
Today, I corrected the oversight as I watched hail, sleet and gentle snow flurries grace the landscape from the evening of January 3rd, continuing intermittently throughout the morning of the 4th.
Take my hand as we tentatively negotiate the slippery Steps from the top down to the Bink…
We begin our descent proper of the Whaligoe Steps… (January 4th, 2022)
It was a little slippery underfoot, as the descent took place accompanied by a light breeze and a crispy cold ambience.
First flight of Whaligoe Steps… (January 4th, 2022)
On this specific trek over the snow covered steps, I noticed how prominent the presence of the winter covering was on the higher flights than the sets of steps further down. Remember, there are six flights of steps which zig-zag down the cliff face making up the Whaligoe Steps.
Second flight of Whaligoe Steps… (January 4th, 2022)
The north sea gets darker with the wintery weather and provides a pleasant contrast on the eye.
Third flight of Whaligoe Steps (January 4th, 2022)
These sets of Whaligoe Steps were given a makeover by the Stonemason Charles Juhlenski during several months of 2021…
(January 4th, 2022)
As the fourth flight of Whaligoe Steps (photograph directly above this text) reaches its end, at the time of the blog post the steps are in a precarious state of disrepair with some specific examples now wobbling significantly. (Please be aware if you read this at the time of the blog post being published for obvious safety reasons).
Fifth flight of Whaligoe Steps (January 4th, 2022)
At this stage of my descent, I noticed how the north sea breeze and perhaps the shelter from the landscape were disrupting the snow from settling as much.
Sixth and final flight… (January 4th, 2022)
We made it! The Bink welcomes us after we cautiously trekked down the Whaligoe Steps…
At the very beginning of August, 2021, I saw a seal down at Whaligoe Steps. Naturally I felt thrilled with this observation but would not dare to hope that it would become a resident. Over the many years, sightings of seal at Whaligoe Steps have been fairly regular and commonplace, so to guess that this latest sighting would be something special was a little too much to hope for.
Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)
To my utter glee and astonishment this sighting of a solitary seal was just the beginning of a new chapter for me and my wildlife observations. Undertaking my trusty research I found out that both harbour seals and grey seals were not unusual to these coastline regions, but the more common sighting and presence belongs to the grey seal.
Pair of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus)
Two grey seals were sighted a few weeks later which has filled me with real enthusiasm that they could well be here to stay! At the time of this blog entry, October 17th, 2021, I can honestly say that regular sightings of a third grey seal has sealed the deal that at least for a while, Whaligoe Steps has resident grey seals which are putting on a beautiful natural display for the visitors.
Thanks to The Wildlife Trust I can remind you that grey seals are protected in Britain under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 and the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Grey seal | The Wildlife Trusts
Video clip of three grey seals…
According to OneKindPlanet – Animal Facts, Education & Inspiration the grey seal is the largest land breeding mammal you will find in the United Kingdom. When out seal-watching I can safely say the statistics regarding their activity is accurate too as the grey seal can remain underwater for around fifteen to sixteen minutes, but more often surface after anywhere from five to ten minutes.
Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)
Despite the tourist season normally being all over by now, the visitors to Whaligoe Steps remain steadfast. Even today as I stood watching the seals going about their business, I observed many individuals wrapped up warm in various Winter-themed attire coming and going.
The seal stone that was hidden at Whaligoe Steps on October the 6th, was found yesterday and moved to a new location where more visitors were likely to stumble across it. From that location on some coastal rock which jutted out and utilised as a popular position in which to watch the seals, I have observed the seal stone now out and about on a journey to somewhere else!
The seal stone hidden in and amongst the coastal rock one sunny day in October…
If the family or individual who picked up the seal stone had a spare moment to let me know where it is now, I would love to hear about it. Many thanks in advance.
As always, please take care and be safe. Thank you for your time.
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Stonemason’s plaque…Stonemason working on the Whaligoe Steps during the 18th of September, 2021
The stonemason working on the restoration of the Whaligoe Steps at the time of this blog entry, has been a true and authentic example of an individual learning his craft throughout the decades. Charlie Juhlenski told me that he has been working this trade for around forty three years and loves working with the stone steps here. The pride in his work is evident for all those who descend the Whaligoe Steps, as the results simply speak for themselves.
Due to the volume of visitors, the work can be hampered. I have observed the stonemason dropping by at late hours of the day and night gradually making additions and adjustments to his prior workmanship, as progress of his maintenance continues after several months.
One example of a flight of the Whaligoe Steps repaired and restored by Charlie…
Stone is a fascinating and essential ingredient when surveying the Whaligoe Steps region. Not only is it prominent obviously within the cliffs around this area, and makes up the material of the steps, but is found on the small pebble beaches near the Bink at the base of the Whaligoe Steps.
In a previous blog post, I stumbled across a stack of pebbles balanced and beautiful on the pebble shore I just referred to. Check out this wee reminder: A video clip I filmed at the time of the discovery.
Since that find of stacked pebbles, within about two hours the north sea had knocked it down and there was literally no sign that this ever existed. Nature does not take prisoners!
Now then, take a look at this next photograph below… What do you think?
Photo taken on the 15th of September, 2021…
They are not just pebbles, but pebbles which have been scribed on using sharp objects. These pebbles have then been placed on to thin shelves and grooves within the shallow cave walls and subsequently resemble what can only be described as a stone gallery.
Close-up of two example stones…
According to www.britannica.com, cave art dates back from 40,000 to 14,000 years ago with examples found in Russia, Indonesia to England and France. The first acknowledged piece of Paleolithic (Stone Age) cave painting was discovered in the Altamira Caves, located around the Spanish town of Santillana del Mar, Cantabria.
It would seem that Homo Sapiens have instinctively been motivated to express themselves utilising the environment as a blank canvas in which to scribe, paint or showcase letters or images.
On each visit down the Whaligoe Steps, I see signs and symbols in and around informing me that visitors from far and wide have left a symbolic signature behind. What will you find when you visit?
Thanks as always for your time, take care and be safe.
