Islands – Mallaband-Brown

What countries do you want to visit?

As a non flier, and someone who isn’t keen on ships I’m rather limited to where I would like to visit. I have been over the Channel on a ferry once and visited a few countries, but things like the Herald of Free Enterprise sinking put me off the idea, and going in a very long tunnel? No thanks.

I’ve enjoyed visiting Wales, I still do, but I’ve only got as far north as Carlisle in England and not even into the Scottish Borders. The thing is Scotland is a big country, there are Highlands and Lowlands, and all the beautiful lochs. The biggest mountain in the UK is Ben Nevis, and that’s in Scotland. Also the summer days are longer there as it is nearer the North Pole (not much closer) but it does affect the day length. And you are more likely to see the Aurora Borealis in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK.

Scotland had it’s own kings, and King James the sixth of Scotland became James the First of England when Queen Elizabeth the first died. There have been other famous Scottish Royals including Bonnie Prince Charlie.

I would like to visit the capital one day. Edinburgh is renowned for it’s yearly arts Festival, and it together with Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness are it’s main cities.

Scotland has world fame for it’s Whisky brewing and many fine Scottish Malts are distilled on the mainland and also on numerous islands about the coast.

I’d like to paint the scenery and visit some of its famous landscapes. I’m sure I could spend a great deal of time exploring. Maybe one day we will visit.

clarity

Sue Vincent’s challenge.

The clarity of my memory was funny, it came and went, but I felt certain that I had been on this beach, in this bay, before.

Perhaps it was the scent of the sea, seaweed, and the aromatic plants on the shore that took me back. Or the azure water, the sandy beach or the dark craggy rocks that caught in the folds of my memory.

Yes, the island in the far distance, in my memory I clearly saw a lighthouse there. Not visible here, but as you sailed out beyond the headland it would come into view, built of the hard stone that makes up the coast. On stormy nights it saved many a sailor, and its booming voice could be heard on foggy days and nights.

Now I remember with clarity why I was there. There is a cave just beyond the tideline. I’d been snorkeling in the bay and found a small chest, iron clad and rusted shut. The cave had seemed a good place to hide it. I was only eleven and it was exciting to hide a treasure chest. Plus my brother would have claimed it if I’d shown it him.

Now it was thirty years later, was it still there?

…….

The dubloons had bought me my yatch. Now I am free to visit the bay any time I want.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Islands

Scotland

The clarity of sea and sky