🦌 The Great Scottish Mystery Tour (feat. Jess, Dad, and a Very Suspicious Ferry)
Right, so… where did we even leave off? I think it was Handa Island, but honestly at this point my brain is just a collage of beaches, forests, and animals I failed to photograph. Classic.
🏖️ Beach? Forest? Who Knows. It Was Pretty.
The next morning we set off home and stopped at a beach. Don’t ask me which one, I’ve seen about 47 beaches in the last three days and every single one looks like it belongs on a Visit Scotland advert. From there we wandered into a forest, Jess trotting along like she owned the place. Hardly any photos taken because I was too busy admiring butterflies, flowers, and the deer I didn’t photograph because of course I was too slow. Nature: 1. Me: 0.
⛴️ Dad’s Ferry Surprise (Send Help)
On the way back Dad casually goes, “Fancy getting a ferry?” No details. No explanation.
Now, having already experienced what Scotland considers a “ferry” (basically a floating shoebox), I reluctantly said yes. Then I started panicking about Jess because it was too warm to leave her in the van. Dad just laughed and went, “Don’t worry love, it’s fine.”
Spoiler: it was not fine.
We pull up and I see the ferry. I look at Dad. I look at the ferry. I look at the van. There is no way this van is getting on that thing. News flash: it did. Just. I swear we were hanging off the edge like a scene from Fast & Furious: Scottish Edition.
I didn’t dare get out of the van for the entire 10‑minute crossing. I just sat there, seatbelt on, praying to the sea gods.
🐬 Dolphin Town & A Pub Dinner
We arrived in a little town near Avoch, famous for dolphins. I’d been before and Loved it, especially in the sunshine. Eventually we got home, chilled out, and had a proper Sunday dinner at the pub. Perfect end to a chaotic day.
🐿️ Monday: Red Squirrels & My Dad’s Sleepy Taxi Service
Up early Monday, I asked Dad to drop me at his local nature reserve. Half asleep, he agreed. “How are you getting back?” he mumbled.
“I’ll walk,” I said confidently.
I didn't walk, dad picked me up a few hours later!
It was worth the early start, I finally saw red squirrels playing in the forest and it was magical.
🔍 Operation: Find the Secret Crested Tit Clearing
Next stop: Findhorn for seals. No luck, tide was in. So we headed off to find a secret bird feeding spot hidden in a forest. My new Handa friends told me about it and said I’d be guaranteed a crested tit.
Only problem?
It has no name. No signs. No map. Just “a tiny clearing somewhere in a forest”.
Me and Dad walked miles. Like actually five. We asked two people for directions and somehow they both knew what we meant. Hours later… WE FOUND IT.
And wow. Magic. A tiny bench surrounded by feeders. Woodpeckers. Red squirrels. Great tits. Coal tits. Yellowhammers singing. And yes — CRESTED TITS. I even heard an osprey overhead.
Dad was bored within 30 seconds but he appreciated my enthusiasm. I whispered, “Ten more minutes then we’ll go.” He nodded, took a sneaky photo of a red squirrel (I saw him), and pretended he wasn’t enjoying himself.
🦅 Enter: K9 Brian, Osprey Informant
On the way back, a man called K9 Brian (yes, really) jumped out of his car, eyed up my camera, and asked, “Have you seen the osprey yet?”
I said no, but I’d heard one.
He started giving me osprey facts when suddenly the gulls went ballistic.
“He’s here!” Brian shouted.
I spun round, pointed the osprey out to Dad, and whispered commentary like I was hosting Springwatch. Within seconds the osprey caught a flat fish and zoomed off for lunch. My first proper osprey fishing sighting — AMAZING. My photos? Cack. Obviously.
Brian then asked where I was heading next.
“The Cairngorms,” I said.
He smiled like a man with secrets and said, “I’ll tell you where you can see osprey.”
He gave me directions. And when I say directions, I mean they where pretty loose directions. The kind of directions which means only determined people will finally reach the desired spot!
I guess I’ll find out tomorrow whether I can actually locate this mystery osprey spot…
To be continued…
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