It was a beautiful sunny afternoon yesterday when Lily, Poppy and I went for a walk to Slains Castle. The sky was blue with white fluffy clouds and there was enough of a breeze to keep the temperature at a pleasant level. It has been many years since I have approached the castle down the track from the car park on the Cruden Bay Road near the Bullers of Buchan. My usual route is up the foot path from Cruden Bay. My memory of this road was of potholes and puddles. Not now. It has been levelled off, and was a fine dry walk. Crushed scallop shells seem to have been used and it gives the road an unusual light look.

One problem, however, is that people in cars seem to be using this track to go to the castle and ignoring the car park on the main road.  Although I smiled politely and waved back when I put the dogs on their leads and drew them onto the verge to lets the cars pass, I must admit I did resent their presence a bit.  I remember a couple of years ago having to use Photoshop to remove a car which had parked at the front of the castle when I was trying to get an artistic shot of the Earl of Errol’s mansion erupting from field of oil seed rape.  The blue of the car spoiled the picture.

When we reached the castle I saw that the fencing which had prevented (or tried to prevent!) access to the ruins was no longer there, and indeed a flat space had been levelled out which was being used as an impromptu car park.   We ignored the ruins and followed the path round the cliff top towards the entrance to the spectacular Long Haven gulley.

The sun was low in the sky behind the castle so pictures did not really work there.   What did work was the bright blue sea with waves breaking on the rocks below as we walked north, admiring the distant view of the Longhaven cliffs with the golf ball of the radar station and the chimney of the Boddam Power Station in view on the horizon.

Lily seemed quite happy to pose for a picture on the cliff top, glad of a rest, perhaps?  Poppy was more volatile, darting about, and never quite in the place I would have liked for the photograph.  Indeed as I was taking a picture of the castle in the distance, over a field of corn, when we were returning to the car, she popped into the shot unexpectedly…she has learned the art of photo-bombing!