Scotland

Map of Scotland

2012-01-31T13:47:00.000Z

I have been trying to use the latest Google Maps 3 API for a website and boy Google really seems to know how to mess things up a lot - confusing and contradictory documentation. However I did find how to add a static map to a website very easily using Google Maps, and also how to add a dynamic map from the Google Map (http://maps.google.com) by simply clicking on the Link icon to bring up the linking and embedding options.

You can then either use the Customise and preview embedded map to adjust the size of the map and then simply add the code to the location on your webpage (html code area) - I usually put it between a "p" tag.

Anyway the map is shown below for an area of Scotland

You can also add a static map as shown below:

The code to do this can be found on the Google Maps site. Very easy to use, you just need to add the location co-ordinates for your own map and relevant zoom and you have a static map that can be added to anywhere on your website or blog that is also printed easily (just right click on the map and choose print).
Hope this has been helpful, I am now going back to try and figure out how to add a proper Google Map using the API key and development tools.
Another option is to use Open Street Map - a free open source world map. See an example below

View Larger Map

Nairn

2012-01-31T09:06:00.003Z

Nairn is a north east coast village that is close to Inverness and is a popular holiday resort. The town has two well know golf courses and the harbour is now a busy marina for yachts and boats.
Visit Nairn for more pictures and holiday guides.

Nairn Beach

Nairn Golf Course

Nairn Hotels

Gale Damage in Caithness

2012-01-30T19:41:00.001Z

Went for a walk with the dogs in Dunnet Forest and was surprised to see the amount of damage caused by the gales in Nov and Dec 2011 - I just hope we do not get anymore high winds of 85 mph for another 10 months!

The area is gradually getting cleaned up and there is definately a lot of firewood around.

John O'Groats

2012-01-27T14:31:00.000Z

We visited John O'Groats this morning as the sun was shining and we decided to take a trip around the Caithness coastline. It was a lovely trip but still very cold and my hands were frozen taking pictures of the area. Pictures below:

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Scrabster Harbour Improvements

2012-01-26T21:40:00.001Z

Just added some pictures to my Scrabster blog showing the harbour work being carried out as well as a video of Scrabster. Below is a couple of pictures taken today showing some of the work being carried out.

Pot of Gold

2012-01-22T12:43:00.001Z

Pictures of Rainbow (a double rainbow as well) photographed on the way home. This Caithness rainbow makes everything look lovely even during a rainstorm.

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Camster Cairns - Highlands of Scotland

2012-01-14T15:37:00.000Z

As it was a lovely sunny day we decided to pop down to Lybster for lunch and passed the interesting Camster Cairns. Caithness has hundreds of ancient brochs and settlements and this restored one is well worth a visit, it is also free to see with no entrance charges, open all year.
So visit Caithness and Sutherland this year and discover ancient and historic Scotland.

See more of Caithness and Sutherland

Scrabster Harbour

2012-01-09T17:08:00.000Z

The works are progressing with the Scrabster harbour extention, yet there has been problems with getting the steel shuttering into the harbour - they have hit rock earlier than expected and this has meant that they can not get the steel far enough into the harbour basin. Still the works are going on at a pace and an amazing change has taken place - just hope they get the marina constructed for the summer!

Swans in Scotland

2012-01-08T19:07:00.000Z

I have just started to add pictures and slideshows of Swans that I photographed over several years in Scotland. The new website on Swans is http://www.swanswans.com and below is a picture as an example of what I will be adding over the next few weeks.

Old Keiss Castle - Scottish Highlands

2012-01-03T20:05:00.002Z

Scotland has hundreds of historical properties and some of them are now just hanging on to the side of cliffs (literally). It certainly makes for an interesting holiday when you can just turn a corner and see an ancient castle, broch or other historic building that you can explore, often at no cost. Visit Scotland and discover an old land and remnants of a way of life going back hundreds and often thousands of years.
Try out the Keiss Castle puzzle.

Loch Erribol in the Highlands of Scotland

2012-01-03T15:52:00.000Z

Loch Eriboll is one of the most beautiful sea lochs in the far north of Scotland. It is a combination of mountains, rivers and the light reflecting on the Loch, especially the far end of the loch at Upper Roadstead where the river flows into the loch that is outstanding.
We have just uploaded a free online jigsaw puzzle of Loch Eriboll on our Jigsaw website, hope you enjoy.

Wren released

2011-11-04T20:33:00.000Z

I was out in the garden cleaning out the chicken coops and washing down the path in the chicken run when I noticed a small wren flying around inside the house. After changing out of my muddy boots I went and caught the bird while it was in the conservatory. It looked a bit stunned and I was worried it had hurt itself flying in to windows. It appeared happy (or stunned) to sit on my hand while I used my other hand to get my digital camera out of the car to photograph it. I managed to take 14 pictures of this gorgeous tiny bird, wrens are one of my favourites and as you can see from the pictures below he/she got over the shock of being stuck in a house and handled.

As you can see the wren got over the adventure and happily flew onto one of the branches of the tree

Scrabster

2011-09-02T22:04:00.002+01:00

Visited Scrabster today to take the dogs for a walk on the beach however the tide was so high I could not get onto the beach, so no walk. However it was not a wasted trip as it has been several weeks since being in Scrabster and they have now started work on the new harbour upgrade. Well they are creating a large car parking area (I believe) and possibly adding a marina. At the moment their is a lot of construction work going on. One local fisherman who talked to me was not pleased with the changes, so I just hope the new harbour layout brings more business and work to the area. Pictures of the changes and a short video taken today of Scrabster harbour changes.

Wet and Windy Scotland - Highlands

2011-08-28T17:50:00.000+01:00

It has been very wet and windy in the Highlands and around Caithness we are seeing some of the rivers flooding their banks. The river below is the River Wick and normally this is reasonably shallow where I have taken the photographs, today it is flooded over a lot of the surrounding farmland.
The advantage of the rain and the high river levels is that we should get a good number of salmon entering the river ... good salmon fishing from Wed next week, hopefully.

Halkirk Highland Games

2011-07-28T09:50:00.002+01:00

Just a quick note to mention that the Halkirk Highland Games is being held on Saturday 30th July 2011 in Caithness. www.halkirkgames.co.uk

Highlands Wild Deer

2011-06-06T09:03:00.000+01:00

Last week I spent the week taking an Uncle who now lives in London a number of day trips around the north of Scotland - to Tongue, to walk to Varrich Castle and also down the east coast to Helmsdale and up through the scenic drive to Kinbrace to Melvich. The trips were great and we were lucky to get lovely warm sunny weather during the week. The highlight of the week was on this drive from Helmsdale to Melvich where we came across a herd of wild deer grazing near the road. I was lucky to be able to take a number of pictures some of which are now on http://www.picturesofscotland.org/deer/

Scotland Kayak

2011-04-09T14:29:00.001+01:00

Scotland Kayaking at Thurso, CaithnessWent to the Thurso beach today (Sat 9th April) and was delighted to see the Scottish Canoe Association and others out kayaking / canoeing off the Thurso harbour. While the waves were not fantastic the sunny weather was a nice change from the high winds and rain recently seen in Caithness.

I am sure there was enough waves to make it a great day out for all those in the water.
Trying to take photographs while keeping one dog on the lead and playing with my other collie (she is ball daft) is always a challenge!

Kayaks at Thurso, Caithness

Surfers are often out on the waves off Caithness

Highlands of Scotland

2011-03-28T11:56:00.001+01:00

I have just added some photo paintings to one of my sites on the Highlands of Scotland

Ardvreck Castle in Sutherland in the Highlands of Scotland

Photo Paintings and Photographs

2011-03-21T11:15:00.001Z

I have been busy updating an old site that I have not paid much attention to for a while, so I have deleted all the old web pages and added new content using software that converts photos into painting style images. I have also added online jigsaw puzzles and sliding puzzles. All the pictures were taken in Scotland and the specialised content of the site is SWANS - so you get what you see on the tin, pictures and photo paintings of swans.

Swans

Wick River

2011-02-11T11:49:00.000Z

The Wick River opened for salmon fishing for the 2011 season. Last year was excellent with over 1100 salmon caught and a third of the catch returned.

Boat Holidays

2011-02-04T09:43:00.003Z

Boat Holidays in Scotland

Scotland has a wide range of holiday opportunities and some of the best must be cruising down Loch Ness and the other Scottish Lochs that form the Great Glen between the highland capital – Inverness and one of the main towns on the highland west coast – Fort William. The boats that are available for personal charter are suitable for anyone with a bit of common sense and who enjoys outstanding scenery as well as exploring the highlands from the cockpit of a luxury boat. Funny enough it does not need to cost the earth to charter your own holiday boat as prices start at around £400 for a three day boat hire on the Scottish Lochs. Discounts are often available when you book early or book a couple of boats at the same time; this allows you to have a holiday in Scotland that is exciting as well as relaxing.

Caledonian Canal

The great thing is that pets are often allowed on the boat holidays so you do not need to leave your dog behind when you go on holiday. Children also love boating holidays on mysterious lochs – Loch Ness is a long and deep loch and you just don’t know what will await you. There is also a rumour of haunted houses and castles along the waterways of the Great Glen.

Of course you can do many other things, not just cruise along the Caledonian Canal and the lochs between Inverness and Fort William, you can enjoy other water sports and fishing. A permit for fishing the lochs can be arranged with the boat so that all the family can fish for trout, huge pike, with salmon fishing is also available. There is plenty of places to go walking and exploring the villages and communities that are along the Great Glen in Highland Scotland.

Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness
So visit our Scotland website and see the range of boats that are available for holidays in Scotland as well as cottages and hotels throughout Scotland.
Boat Holidays

Wick UK

2011-01-19T17:30:00.000Z

Today I treated myself to a Wickers World (Wick Harbour) hamburger lunch and it was great. I also wanted to get another photograph of the small lighthouse at the Wick Harbour as the sun was shinning on it. Photos and photo art below:

Original Photos below

Feed Wild Birds in Winter

2010-12-07T18:48:00.004Z

It is snow everywhere in Scotland and the far North is the same, it is snowing yet again tonight. I have been trying to make sure that the birds that visit our garden have plenty of food to eat as well as regular fresh water (that is not frozen) and the birds have I believe welcomed my efforts - the garden has dozens of birds visiting our bird feeders.
Many birds prefer to feed off the ground and you can buy special metal ground feeders that help keep the birds food off the wet soil / grass. Below are some pictures and a video I made of birds feeding in our garden, plus some pictures of our collies out in the snow.

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The Collies in the Snow

Scotland covered in Snow

2010-12-02T21:17:00.003Z

It is frustrating when we get such a great covering of snow, why? well in the far north the main roads tend to be clear yet all the locations near where I live are just not easily accessible with an ordinary car. So I know I want to get out and take photographs of the Highlands in the snow and yet being sensible it is just not practical to do so - I need to save up for a 4 x 4.
I did take some photographs of my bird table and what we do try and help feed the wild birds that are in our garden and you can see some of these photos on one of my websites on gardening - under the feeding garden birds page.
Below are three photos taken in a few days ago.

I am definately lucky to live in such a beautiful area in Caithness.

Scotland in the Snow

2010-11-28T02:39:00.002Z

Snow has come early for Scotland (and Britain) and the countryside is looking fabulous with it's white cover of snow.