Thursday, April 12, 2012

Greenock Trip 29/2–3/3/2012

A few days away at Monkton then Greenock.

1-doonfoot

Stopped off on the way at Doonfoot near Ayr as there had been reports of Snow Buntings, sadly we didn’t see them so just took a few shots of the castle.

2-doonfoot

Dodgy position, I wonder how long it will remain perched on the edge!

3-doonfoot

1-Monkton

Our view out of the window at the Monkton Premier Inn.

Next morning we set off early to Lochwinnoch, parking at Castle Semple and walking round to RSPB Lochwinnoch.

2-goldeneye

Goldeneye

3-black-headed-gull

Black-headed Gull with full black head…

4-black-headed-gull

..this ones not quite there yet…

5-black-headed-gull-juv

…and this ones just a juvenile.

6-whooper

This is the resident Whooper Swan that stays all year round as it has a damaged wing.

7-goosanders

Goosanders

8-celandine

A little bit of colour, my first Celandine of the year.

9-bridge

Calder Bridge

10-lochwinnoch

 

11-path

RSPB Lochwinnoch

12-smew

Drake Smew!

13-robin

Robin outside the visitor centre

14-greylag

Back at Castle Semple this Greylag was waiting to be fed..

15-feeding-time

..and this lot!

After lunch we headed towards the Clyde Muirshell visitor Centre, this was not to be as the road was blocked by a diversion so we headed for Locherwood instead.

16-kestrel

We started off well with this sighting of a Kestrel

17-signpost

But the signposting got very dodgy!

18-pylon

Shame about the pylons!

19-Locherwood

The sun came out briefly, but then it started to pour. We followed signs for a hide and ended up in a bog and had to turn back. We never found the hide, the paths were awful and signposting needs some work!

Soaking wet and fed up we headed for our next Premier Inn at Greenock.

20-boat

Now thats what I call a room with a view, boats just outside our window!

1-tug

Next morning started quite bright so we were hopeful of a better day!

2-view

It started sunny and calm with good visibility so we headed around the coast to Gourock, where we had caught the ferry to Oban many, many years ago. The views were great so we headed for the Greenock Cut. Again our plans were thwarted by yet another blocked road and diversion, so we headed back to Greenock and the other way to the Greenock Cut Visitor Centre.

3-reservoir

Up by Loch Thom the weather had started to turn in

4-sluice

Grey and pouring with rain

5

This is a great walk and should have stunning views but not today!

6-greenock-cut

At the end of the Overton Track we reached the cut which used to supply water for Greenock. My new camera stayed in its dry bag underneath my waterproofs for the rest of the cut unfortunately.

7-greenock-cut

This is at the end of the cut when the rain finally stopped so I had a chance to play about with exposures!

8-greenock-cut

 

9-greenock-cut

 

10-ducks

Ducks in a row

11-Greenock-Cut-Visitor-Centre

The Greenock Cut Visitor Centre

12-greenock-cut

View back down towards the path along the cut

13-clydeport

Still some day left so we headed to Clydeport

14-sunshine

The sun across the water

15-Greenock-Premier-Inn

Back at the Premier Inn we had another walk before our meal, this is the Inn with the Table Table restaurant next door

16-view

Just outside our room

17-tyres

Old tyres

18-crane

Crane and apartments

19-fishing-boat

Fishing boat coming in

20-crane

 

21-juv-gull

Juv Gull

22-fishing-boat

When the seagulls follow the fishing boat..or whatever Cantana said!

23-towers

Hideous tower blocks

24-blocked

 

25-harbour

Old harbour

The next day we were heading back home but stopped on the way at Portencross.

1-portencross-castle

Our first view of Portencross Castle

2-Arran

Looking towards Arran

3-portencross

Castle and Wee Cumbrae

4-castle-door

Castle door

5-wee-cumbrae

Wee Cumbrae

6-rocks

Rocks and jetty

7-rocks

 

8-wee-cumbrae

 

9-portencross

 

10-portencross-pier

this old jetty is a bit neglected

11-pier

Seen better days

12-pier-hole

Its got a big hole in it!

13-great-black-backed-gull

Great Black-backed Gull

14-portencross

Castle and hamlet of Portencross

15-portencross

This spot is a haven for birds but sadly just around this corner is the Hunterston Power Station and they want to build another coal fired power station here!

SAY NO TO HUNTERSTON!

16-footpath

Footpath…

17-footpath-to-hunterston

…to Hunterston

18-Great-Cumbrae

Millport on Great Cumbrae

19-painted-stone

Painted rock

20-castle-sign

Caslte sign

21-Portencross-Castle

Learn more about Portencross Castle at http://www.portencrosscastle.org.uk/index.htm

22-Portencross-Castle

 

23-Portencross-Castle

Looks like the weather has brightened up again just as we are leaving!

24-chicken

..and finally we saw this funky chicken trying to get through the gates!

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