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…
New Challenge (Part 1) – Whaligoe Eye
New Challenge (Part 2) – Whaligoe Eye
New Challenge (Part 3) – Whaligoe Eye
New Challenge (Part 4) – Whaligoe Eye
New Challenge (Part 5) – Whaligoe Eye
New Challenge (Part 6) – Whaligoe Eye
Daily Challenge (Part 7) – Whaligoe Eye
Daily Challenge (Part 8) – Whaligoe Eye
Daily Challenge (Part 9) – Whaligoe Eye
Whaligoe Steps 365 (Part 10) – Whaligoe Eye
Whaligoe Steps 365 (Part 11) – Whaligoe Eye
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.
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