Skywatch Friday - Cuillin cloud


A very belated catch-up on photos I meant to post this time last year. I don't know where this time of year goes every year. Because I'm even more squeezed for time than usual, to introduce this mini series I'm going to repeat the introduction I wrote to a similar series of photos taken by my son when it was his turn for 'S3 Projects':

'One of the unique features of my children's school is a two week period in May every year when the whole year group in S3, or the 14-15 year olds - all 230 of them - are split into small groups of about a dozen and go off into Scotland's wild places, with 3 or so teachers per group. No bookwork, no science-project-homework-on-the-side. Just physical endeavour, some of it pretty challenging. The prosaic name for this experience is 'S3 Projects'. It's based on the philosophy of the Scottish-born American environmentalist John Muir, who wrote "I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." '

My son cycled 450 miles round the top of Scotland. You can follow his tour by clicking on the tag 'Cycling Project' in the tag cloud on the sidebar. He does feature in the photos at one point - he's holding the lamb in this post. Two years ago my daughter's Project went to Skye and Kintail, for two weeks of hill walking, kayaking and conservation work. The hillwalking on Skye was in the rocky Cuillin range, and was blessed by sunny weather.


In a rare thing for Skye, a cloud was a matter for curiosity.


More skies from around the world are at Skywatch Friday.

Comments

  1. It must be a great experience for the young teens to enjoy nature, that too with friends!

    Landlocked water body in the 1st shot is beautiful:)

    Visiting from Skywatch.

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  2. Such beautiful photos of an incredible landscape! So lovely.

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  3. Wow such a very beautiful landscape. A gift truly to be thankful for. Thanks for sharing!
    SWF

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  4. Really so beautiful and not quite like my own environment, but I enjoy seeing the differences. Being an outdoorsperson is a wonderful thing in life.

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  5. I love this post!! Amber and Mike (who lived in Scotland for a year) have really been MISSING it! They may go on a work related trip llasting a month next year. They truly hope so!

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  6. Beautiful...that cloud looks like someone flying! :)

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  7. Wonderful shots of solitary cloud in the blue sky.

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  8. That kind of 2 week trip sounds something other schools could do as well. Good idea.

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  9. Absolutely gorgeous... breathtaking

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  10. HI Linda,

    That lake is lovely. Tundra at such a low altitude. We have so much snow this year, who knows when we'll get to be above treeline.

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  11. What a wonderful experience for children to have! And that first cloud looks like a heart! Lovely :o)

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  12. Wow, that is a really cool feature of your children's school. Great Muir quote. I enjoyed your photographs as well. Happy July Linda!

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  13. What a lovely "project" for the students. We would be a lot fitter nation if we were to do the same.

    Wonderful watery photos.

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  14. Sounds like a most enlightened school. These wonderful pictures make me long to be back in Skye. I, too, have seen the Cuillins under an intense blue sky - though not, as in this case, punctuated by a perfect Teletubbies cloud.

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  15. What a character building experience for the young adults even if they didn't think so at them time perhaps. The planning on the teachers part would have been involved, I don't think schools here are as keen to take on something like this although I know some of the private schools do go on treks through mountains and camp out. How did your children like the experience? Have they ever wanted to do something similar?
    Have a good week,
    Vickixx

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  16. The Cuillins never fail to take my breath away.

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  17. 450?! I can't even comprehend the idea.... wow!

    Durham Cathedral? I've been there! On my one trip to Britain we stopped at loads of cathedrals but the only one that firmly stands out in my mind is Durham. It was beautiful (and I believe under construction at the time). I can't imagine an afternoon jaunt out to see a cathedral.... How'd I love to move to Scotland and see you!

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  18. It is a wonderful view. I like the wispy cloud just hanging out there alone. Great shots.

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  19. Those are beautiful photos, and as you say it's unusual to see fluffy little clouds like that on Skye! And the quote by John Muir is a great one, thank you.

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  20. Oh dear, I'm not doing too well at replying to all your interesting comments! I do appreciate them all, and form replies in my head which I then run out of time/steam to post.

    My children loved, loved, LOVED their Projects. Son has since moved his outdoors focus onto watersports, tho even as I type he is moving his bike between this year's student flat and next (in Glasgow). Also as I type, daughter is on a 60k Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the Cairngorms.

    Doing this post has reminded me that I've meant to read some of John Muir's writings. Holiday reading!

    More photos from Skye later in the summer, as we're heading there for a few days.

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