Seaton Park and Halloween preparations

We have carved out a Jack O'Lantern from a pumpkin and a Johnno Lantern from a turnip, the reasoning behind this will be revealed in our halloween film, if we get our act together to make it!
We walked by the river at Seaton Park, the river was very full of brown water and flowing fast.

Notice all the Autumn leaves on the ground.

Lucky we were around to hold up this fallen tree, Seth seems to have an easier time  holding it up while Richard and Jenny make a big job of it.

St Machar's church and graveyard.

More features of our National Park visit

A cottage nestled amongst some beautiful trees.

A particularly beautiful tree.

Another building with grass growing on the roof, this time an old church.  Much to Seth's delight there was a bell-ringing rope easily accessible, so he rang the bell!

Banchory

We stayed overnight at Banchory with the family of one of Richard's colleagues.  The next day we went walking in a nearby National Park and saw some beautiful trees that were changing colour for the Autumn.

From this lookout you can see the beginning of the Highlands.

This is the "Water of Feugh" (I don't know if that is as in 'few' or 'phew') near Banchory.  Sometimes you can see fish leaping up the rapids - but we didn't.

Butterfly and Reptile Park

We went to a butterfly farm which was very hot and humid inside.  A butterfly landed on Jenny's head, Seth took a photo but on the wrong side.  You can just see the tip of a wing on top of Jenny's head.  This man and his daughter were very impressed.

Ahhh, beautiful butterfly.  There were so many just fluttering around us.

Seth preparing for a butterfly to land on his arm....but it flew away before we took the picture!

The Prison Quarters in Edinburgh Castle

Seth trying prison food.

Most of all Seth loved the armour, weapons and of course the prison quarters.

Edinburgh Castle

The view of Edinburgh from the castle.

Seth having a go on the display gun.

At 1pm a blank is fired from the gun everyday, this helped boats set the time accurately.

Seth riding a canon.

The Sea

Here is Bass Rock, covered in gannets and the obligatory Scottish castle in the foreground.

Looking from a peninsula back at the village.

The walk through the forest to get to and from the beach.

The beach itself, windy but a clear day.

On the headland above the beach was this cottage, Seth was most impressed by the grass growing on the roof.

Haile's Castle

This is Haile's castle, our first castle visit and it was a ripper. Especially chilling were the pit prisons, a bit like the naughty-chair but darker and more claustrophobic.

Picking Raspberries

Let loose among the rasperries at Phantassie, as many in the mouth as in the punnet!

The Old Mill

A true millpond, next to an actual mill.

Seth climbing a stile near the mill.

The mill which looked like something out of Lord of the Rings.  We were lucky to see the mill wheel working and watched the caretaker of the mill redirect the waterflow to stop the wheel.

Features of Phantassie

Here is the "maze that presents little or no challenge" that is grown in the Phantassie garden.

This is the dovecot and it still has doves living in it.

Edinburgh Visit

 

This is the house we stayed at in East Linton near Aberdeen. The property is called Phantassie and operates as an organic farm.
We had to wear Wellies as the ground was quite wet.  These are the wellies of Richard, Jenny, Seth, Steph and Fionn.

Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Seth's favourite exhibit was the ROV.  This is a miniature video camera mounted in an underwater device that you can control remotely.  The unit moves up, down, sideways and turns around.  The whole thing is in a glass tank filled with water.

Seth is standing in front of a three storey model of the Murchison Oil Rig.  The photo above is mannequins of rig workers. The Maritime Museum covers the fishing industry, ship building industry and oil/gas industry as they relate to Aberdeen.  

University Botanic Gardens

Seth exploring the sunken garden in the botanic garden on the university grounds.

Aberdeen University

Seth going a bit crazy on the cobblestone streets of the uni.

Uni clocktower and the old Town House, dated 1721.

Kings College with the church and a marble and bronze monument for the bishop who founded Kings' College in 1498.

Old Aberdeen and the uni is filled with loads of these old granite buildings.  Note the archway on the right, it is called New Kings' Arch and is decorated with a crest.