Scotland.  Day 4, 2nd July.

Noss Head Lighthouse

Leaving Castle Girnigoe, I paused to photograph the nearby Noss Head Lighthouse, built in 1849 by Alan Stevenson.

Pentland Skerries Lighthouse, Muckle Skerry, from Duncansby Head

I then drove up the coast to Duncansby Head.  This is the Pentland Skerries Lighthouse, on a small island in the channel between the Orkneys and the mainland.  It was built by Robert Stevenson and T Smith in 1794.

Stacks of Duncansby

Seeing the Stacks of Duncansby involves a short walk from Duncansby Head.

Stacks of Duncansby

Stacks of Duncansby

near Stacks of Duncansby

On the way back I stopped to take some photographs at an inlet with sheer cliff sides.  There were some puffins on a ledge on the cliff below me but I could not see them there from where I was and had not brought my long lens.

near Stacks of Duncansby

This is from further down the inlet and I had climbed over the fence.   I lay down to take this photograph and even then was not prepared to get too close to the cliff edge.

near Stacks of Duncansby

There is actually a huge tunnel at the entrance of the cove on the other side.  Perhaps I needed to have brought a hang glider for the perfect angle.  Duncansby Head Lighthouse is just visible in the top left corner.

Dunnet Head

Further on, this is Dunnet Head Lighthouse, built in 1831 by James Smith and Robert Stevenson.  This is the most northerly point of the Scottish mainland, not John O’ Groats as is commonly thought.  Hoy in the Orkneys is in the distance.