Today is my wonderful husbands birthday….so a slow start with presents and cards….

We headed out of Inverness directly to Fortrose and down to Chanonry Point. This is a well known spot for dolphin watching. The channel is deep and the most likely time to see dolphins is 1to 2 hours after low tide…so that was around 11.30. We managed to dodge the golf balls as we traversed the courses road which leads to the point. It’s a tiny carpark but we managed to get the last disabled bay. We walked to the waters edge…..

…and spent some time watching a hatch and a rib sail past.

Dad sat on one of the thoughtful seats watching the world go by

We then decided to walk around the corner of the lighthouse to view the bay which is most renowned for dolphins.

Dad set off with us, but the beach was large stones and very rickety so he soon turned back. John and I continued to where about 100 people were sitting, standing, strolling…all in the hope of seeing dolphins…

We stood and watched a couple of boats go by…but no dolphins …

After a while we headed back to where Dad had taken up residency!!

He had been joined by a couple of dunnocks

We headed off to Cromarty. We pulled up against the shoreline and cracked open the flask…for a coffee, while admiring a Costa cruise ship and the old oil industrial site..

We headed across the Black Isle off to Dingwall, so John could photo a few trains….on the way we passed beautiful gorse, bluebells and numerous sheep with lambs..

We had our picnic at Dingwall. On the way back from Dingwall to Inverness we called a Muir of Ord for another train photo.

Back in Inverness we spent the rest of the afternoon having a rest, prior to going to The fig & Thistle for supper…