One thing I have learned about the east coast of Scotland in the summer is, beware of the haar. A few days before I had spotted what I hoped would be a great picture when I was struggling up the cliff path at Whinnyfold.  The Red Campion is in full bloom just now and I thought it would make a great foreground to a view of the stony beach below. (How I love when the campion is out adding wonderful colour to the countryside!) However it was not easy to take a photograph whiile watching grandchildren on the steep path, Lily the dog on the lead, not to mention carrying all the stuff we had taken down to the beach, and the “treasure” that the boys had gathered and needed to take home.  To put it bluntly the shot was a failure.

I waited for another sunny day then drove back to Whinnyfold. But the best laid schemes…..the dreaded haar appeared before I reached Cruden Bay.   The light at Whinnyfold was interesting, quite bright through the mist.  A builder working on a house extension was not optimistic about my chances of a picture, as he greeted me with, “The haar has spoiled your photographs then!”   But he was wrong.  Although it was not the photograph I had planned I did take several very atmospheric pictures of flowers in the mist. I got my picture of red campion with the haar beyond.

We walked on through the village and south along the cliff path.  I spotted an interesting  picture of thrift on the clifftop with the misty sea below.  While I was checking out thrift on the internet I cam across this wonderful wild flower website: www.ukwildflowers.com  The pictures of thrift were taken at Rhoscolyn in Anglesey where my daughter and her husband have a house and we have spent happy holidays. I I will look out for the thrift there the next time we visit in the summer.

The sharp eyed may notice a razorbill turning his back on me with  guillemot beyond  The area where I took the shot is called Green Brow on the map and it certainly is a lovely grassy area gently sloping down to the cliff edge.

The cliff ledges were alive with birds.   I must go back when there is no haar!