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Let's go out of Sneck


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2 hours ago, weeman said:

So you've been to the Dodgy Arms 

Yes indeedy. The last time was only memorable for missing most of the first half at Dingwall having come all the way from Midlothian just to watch some guys playing darts. Very generous with the drink mind you...

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17 hours ago, IBM said:

... my wife is looking for the kingfisher that has been spotted numerous times but we have yet to see it! 

We have seen one a couple of times recently, and a few times in previous years, during our walks in the nearby park here in St Albans.  The "river" Ver runs through the park - it's only about 12 feet wide, but it's a chalk stream (quite rare) and the water is normally very clear.  There are actually two kingfishers on the river, each with their own territory about a quarter of a mile apart, near the two points where the fish - trout - congregate. 

The one we have seen sits on a tree branch across the river from the path, and isn't bothered at all by the small crowd of people watching it, which often includes some blokes - always blokes - with expensive camouflaged cameras, long lenses and tripods.

You really do see a flash of fluorescent blue when they move.  Well worth looking out for.

And that concludes nature notes for today...

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On 12/6/2020 at 11:18 AM, snorbens_caleyman said:

We have seen one a couple of times recently, and a few times in previous years, during our walks in the nearby park here in St Albans. 

...and we saw it again yesterday and today, as we were passing through the park.  I was talking to a young lad who was waiting for a good photograph, and he told me about his website - wbphotography.co.uk .  A few kingfisher photographs there.

 

OK, the photograph below is one of my Dad's, from around 1990.   The building was outside of Sneck when built, but it is now well inside the city boundary.

1620360143_003sml.jpg.1836ff0e3372bd6742915ad020efa4e6.jpg

 

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And I thought that it might be a tricky one :lol:

It was part of Culduthel Hospital.  The old part is a listed building, and, as IBM says, the wings have been demolished.

I see that it is referred to as Culduthel House.  There's a possible source of confusion there, as the former orphanage at 71 Culduthel Road has also been known as Culduthel House since it was converted into flats in around 1960. 

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1 hour ago, IBM said:

I was there many years ago and have no photos, it's a long way out of sneck :smile:

Yes it is but technically it’s in the Highlands by a good few miles (hint) and the ICT team bus will pass within a mile or so (another hint).

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9 hours ago, IBM said:

And there is a popular food stop nearby but you need to have plenty money if you stop there with your wife :wink:

Or you “accidentally” go past it and stop at another one a few miles on...

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I am just about out of candidate photographs for this thread, but here is a challenge with a difference.   The difference is that I have no idea where it is!

They were taken in July or early August 1978 - hence the hair and flares.   On the original film, they follow a trip to St Andrews, so it's possible that we might have stopped off somewhere near the A9 on the way back. Or it could have been a completely different outing in any direction from Inverness.

Over to you!

1690516951_img032sml.jpg.28623972064a4db7f29bc4d2eb683efa.jpg       1494693605_img029sml.thumb.jpg.224c6cfaa9ec447b83059aefaa808207.jpg

 

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44 minutes ago, IBM said:

The Edinkillie viaduct over the river Divie near Dunphail, Moray-shire.  Mantis may have been hiking in the area to confirm this.  Do you know the people in the photo?

Thank you, but I'm not wholly convinced.  The photographs of that viaduct that I can find do not appear to have exactly that style of baronial turret, nor the row of protruding bricks just under the parapet.

However, when I was searching earlier, I did come across a single-arch bridge on the Dava Way which was very similar, so perhaps I should have another look there.

The people in the photograph are my late father, a family friend who is also now dead, my younger sister, and - with the hair and the flares - me.  Possibly a last outing for the hair and the flares, because I moved down to London in August 1978, to discover that the look was now post-punk power-pop - shortish hair, suits with drainpipe trousers, and skinny ties.

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17 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Thank you, but I'm not wholly convinced.  The photographs of that viaduct that I can find do not appear to have exactly that style of baronial turret, nor the row of protruding bricks just under the parapet.

However, when I was searching earlier, I did come across a single-arch bridge on the Dava Way which was very similar, so perhaps I should have another look there.

The people in the photograph are my late father, a family friend who is also now dead, my younger sister, and - with the hair and the flares - me.  Possibly a last outing for the hair and the flares, because I moved down to London in August 1978, to discover that the look was now post-punk power-pop - shortish hair, suits with drainpipe trousers, and skinny ties.

I have had a look on google street view and you are right about the towers on the Edinkillie viaduct are smaller and there are no protruding bricks although it's similar.  What threw me in that direction was I thought the guy with the red hair was Willie Grant from Grantown on Spey who worked with BT :lol:

I am sure a lot of these viaducts would have been designed by the same architect and it's more the local stone that would be the main difference so it could be anywhere.

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17 hours ago, IBM said:

The Edinkillie viaduct over the river Divie near Dunphail, Moray-shire.  Mantis may have been hiking in the area to confirm this.  Do you know the people in the photo?

Had a good look at this but can't help. Spent most of my time climbing Munros & Corbetts anyway apart from the WHW and about half of the Speyside Way. There's a Wiki page on Railway Viaducts of the UK and another on canal viaducts, had a quick look there too, but I see Edinkillie isn't even listed. Other photos of Edinkillie don't really help.

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On 1/7/2021 at 3:31 PM, snorbens_caleyman said:

On the original film, they follow a trip to St Andrews, so it's possible that we might have stopped off somewhere near the A9 on the way back.

Killiecrankie viaduct.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186566-d8073533-Reviews-Killiecrankie_Viaduct-Pitlochry_Perth_and_Kinross_Scotland.html#photos;aggregationId=&albumid=101&filter=7

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On 1/6/2021 at 5:16 PM, snorbens_caleyman said:

Only place I can think of that would fit that description is House of Bruar.   Their lobster and chips is on my bucket list  :lol:

I once bought a punnet of strawberries there. My bank manager still hasn't recovered from the shock.

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