January in Hopeman

January has slipped by.....

North from Hopeman

It started cold, but dry,

The Moray Firth from Hopeman

Over The Moray Firth from Hopeman

Followed by a dusting of snow,

Tarbat Ness lighthouse from Hopeman

East Beach, Hopeman

Hopeman Harbour and East Beach

Very lovely, and great fun for Rafe,

Rafe on Rocks, East Beach, Hopeman

Hopeman from Daisy Rock

East of Daisy Rock, Hopeman

Rafe, east of Hopeman

Hopeman and Daisy Rock from the east

But it didn't last long on the coast.

Rafe, east of Hopeman

Rafe, Daisy Rock, Hopeman

Followed by clear, very cold and sunny....

Daisy Rock, Hopeman

And beautifully clear.

Above The Arch, Clasach Cove

Rafe, Clasach Cove

Above Clashach Cove

East of Hopeman

East of Hopeman

Across The Moray Firth from east of Hopeman

Hopeman Beach Huts

Hopeman Harbour and East Beach

The Lecht.

I won't subject you to tortuous photographs of our first attempt at skiing....

Nursery slopes at the Lecht

....but it was such a lovely day up there in the Cairngorms....

Low winter sun at the Lecht

....that these views are worth a look.

At the Lecht

And we'll be heading back up there for a second go, so it can't have been that bad.

Corgarff Castle, near the Lecht

From near the Lecht

From near the Lecht

Cairn Laith.

Cairn Laith

Cows on the beach at Cairn Laith

Stopped here for a dog walk and great views:

The Moray Firth from Cairn Laith

An Iron Age broch beside the A9.

Between the broch walls at Cairn Laich

Rafe, Cairn Laith

Winter sunshine and The Moray Firth from Cairn Laith

The Burning of the Clavie - Burghead.

This ancient local tradition is something we couldn't miss.... Happy New Year.

The Burning of the Clavie

The Clavie King and his Crew light the Clavie.

Adding the staves to the Clavie.

The Clavie - a cut down barrel filled with tar and slivers of wood.

The Clavie 2013.

The Clavie Ceremony in the streets of Burghead.

The Clavie at the Pictish Fort on Doorie Hill.
Yes - the grass is on fire !

The Clavie at the Pictish Fort on Doorie Hill.
Cough cough.....

Apologies for the poor photographs - I didn't take the camera, so these photo's were taken on the mobile.