Toward Point Coastal Battery

Popped up to see the remains of the Toward Point Coastal Battery  from World War 2.

Quite impressive that so much of the buildings still stand.

More images are available at - www.dougie-coull-photography.com - better resolution and options to licence.

Viking Event at Rothesay Castle

It was a trip across the Rothesay on the Isle of Bute today on the ferry 'MV Bute'.

The weather was exceptional for this time of year and in the warm sunshine it was hard to believe we were only days before October begins.

Historic Scotland were running one of their most excellent events at the castle - the first in ten years - so it was a special day.

The Viking longboat started proceedings by making a landing on the beach.

This was followed by a parade of the group members who had set up an encampment in the castle.

Once at the castle - which was extremely busy - we watched the Scottish soldiers defend the castle from a fierce Viking attack on the 750th anniversary of the Battle of Largs.

 A tour of the encampment demonstrated the day to day life of the Norse and Scots people of 1263.

 We were entertained with combat displays and weapon demonstrations relating to the Norse invasion.

 Unfortunately as the last ferry was at 19:45 I missed the torch lit parade at 19.30, not to mention the hog roast and firework display on the promenade later in the evening.

I'll be adding more images later to my Blog if you care to visit again next week.

 War Memorial - 'The Angel'  in Rothesay

Viking Battle at Rothesay Castle


Carol Hard at Work at Rothesay Castle

 Kids Join in at the Viking Event in Rothesay Castle

 Viking Longboat Landing at Rothesay

More images are available at - www.dougie-coull-photography.co.uk - better resolution and options to licence.

Skelmorlie Royal Observer Corp (ROC) Post

The ROC monitoring post at Skelmorlie was built as part of an extensive network of posts designed to confirm and report the effects of a nuclear attack in the region.

A host of volunteers served in the Royal Observer Corps until it's stand-down in 1991.

Fifteen feet below the ground these highly trained volunteers waited for the message we all hoped would never come. This was part of the nuclear threat we experienced in those days.

 Access to the post is by way of a vertical ladder fixed to the wall of the entrance shaft.

Once you have descended the ladder you enter the world of yesterday, with apparatus designed to detect and measure the effects of any nuclear blast should there have been an attack.

I personally serviced the communications within these posts prior to the exercises - mostly these were held over a weekend.

The posts were designed to be protected from a blast and were self sufficient.

Thankfully - for now at least - these days are behind us.

More images are available at - www.dougie-coull-photography.co.uk - better resolution and options to licence.

Greenock Well Park

Having injured my right knee getting about is a bit difficult, but having rested it yesterday I pushed myself this afternoon.

A nice bright day so went to the Well Park and made the best of things. 

I did sneak a pic of one of my cacti that has flowered for the first time before I went out.

Flowering Cactus - One of My Own

Flowers - Well Park in Greenock

Vibrant  Flowers - Well Park in Greenock

Tulip - Well Park in Greenock

 Well Park - War Memorial

 Well Park - Greenock

 Well Park - War Memorial

 Well Park - Greenock

More images are available at - www.dougie-coull-photography.co.uk - and are also better resolution.

Inverclyde Travels

Another nice sunny day today - again it could be warmer.

Quick shot of our cat - and wish he would stand still for two seconds.

Then later up to the cemetery at Greenock.

Down to the Esplanade for an ice cream, and rounded off the day at Murdieston Dam.

Skipper - Our Garden

 

 War Memorial - Greenock Cemetery

 War Memorial - Greenock Cemetery

 Yacht 'Still Smiling' - Greenock Esplanade

Nesting Swan - Murdieston Dam

 

Nesting Swan - Murdieston Dam

More images are available at - www.dougie-coull-photography.co.uk - and are also better resolution.