Radioactive Beach!

Up north, in Thurso and Reay, they are so close to the ocean. I may have mentioned this before (in the summer when I visited Thurso & Reay before) that you can see Orkney from Thurso. Not as a dim, wee spot on the horizon (as I had imagined), but as a substantial bit of land comparatively close at hand. Well, there's a beach in Reay.

It's radioactive. No big deal, as my niece Katie would say. There's a nuclear power something-or-other hard-by (where Shonaidh works) and subsequently, the beach is radioactive. I tried to pretend it wasn't, so I didn't take a picture of any of the signs. Now I'm wishing I had! The signs warned about picking things up. Suffice it to say, I didn't pick anything up, which is a shame, as I've been able to collect shells and pebbles from all the other coastal spots I've visited in Scotland so far. Oh well!

We all went, and we took Waggy with us. Waggy is a jolly dog belonging to Rachel's grandparents.

On the way to the beach. Rachel & I were trying to figure out what these trees are - hazel?

The sand-dunes! And the ocean beyond. 

Atop the sand dune. It has a name, I'll have to ask & add it later Cnoc-something.

Despite the fact that I'm plumper than I should be, I am NOT as large as this puffy coat makes me out to be!

The path to the waves.

James & Waggy forging on ahead.

The joyful Waggy (she totally disregarded the signs about radioactive particles).

Se the wind blowing the waves as they come in? 

This was a first for me: wearing Wellies on the beach! I always associate sandals & bare-feet with the beach. But not in December (never mind about radioactive!). It was quite odd, but fun.

A ruined building - ice shed? Something of the sort. Course, I was thrilled.