What a difference 8 hours can make. This morning, Jeanine and I arrived early at the trailhead for the Old Man of Storr hike. It was overcast with intermittent rain. Jeanine turned back at the halfway point when it became apparent that the pinnacles would be shrouded in clouds. I continued to the top where I waited for an hour hoping the clouds would lift. They did not and the best image I have is the one below.

Later in the day after driving around the entire Trotternish peninsula, a challenging drive on one-track roads that I will not soon forget, we returned to the Old Man of Storr trailhead. Naturally, the clouds had mostly cleared and the sun was shining. My knees would not tolerate another ascent so I decided to fly my drone up the mountain. Having hiked the trail earlier, I knew just the path to fly to position the drone for the photo I wanted. I an extremely pleased with the image I was able to make. It is possibly the best landscape photograph I have ever taken.

After lunch, Jeanine wanted to visit a nearby wool crafts store. In the quaint little shop, we learned that all the wool for sale was from the sheep on their farm. While Jeanine was shopping, I photographed the father of all the sheep on the property. He looked like a pretty happy dude.

The Fairy Glen was not on my radar but Jeanine learned about it and thought it would make for a nice place to visit. Indeed, it was a whimsical area filled with small conical hillocks created by an ancient landslide. We did not see any fairies, but if they are to be found anywhere, this is the place. Below is a basalt “castle” adjacent to one of the hills. Falling from the top would be sure to result in severe injury but probably not death. For this reason, I was able to climb to the top despite my intense fear of heights which can be more accurately described as my acute fear of falling to my death.

An early start got us to the Fairy Pools ahead of the crowds. Jeanine and I enjoyed a lovely hike along a cascade of waterfalls feeding a series of turquoise pools. It was mostly overcast but thankfully it only rained for a few minutes. The pools are the primary attraction on this hike but I cannot resist a nice waterfall. We had lunch in Portree at the Inn of the same name. I had a cheese-smothered salted brisket sandwich on a Scottish roll. It was the best sandwich I have ever had in my life. Jeanine had the Cullen Skink, a smoked haddock chowder that she loved as well. Fortified by our meal we drove on to the Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls (pictured below) where calmer winds allowed for a drone shot.

We continued north to the An Corran beach where In 2002 a local woman, out walking her dog, found what looked like a set of footprints in a recently exposed block of rock. They were found to be those of a three-toed carnivorous Megalosaurus, a fierce predatory dinosaur of the Mid-Jurassic period that roamed the shallow lagoons over 168 million years ago.

Our final stop for the day was at an unnamed waterfall Jeanine spotted above the road while we were driving by. A short climb revealed a very beautiful cascade and it may well be my favorite on a day that included some spectacular waterfalls.

We were greeted on the Isle of Skye by gale-force winds which blew all night and day. We decided that it would be wise to limit our time outdoors and did so with a visit to the Dunvegan Castle followed by lunch at a nearby pub. That wisdom failed me later in the day when I decided I would try to photograph the Neist Point Lighthouse at sunset. Jeanine was smart enough to stay at our AirBnB which is aptly named the “Snug”. When I arrived at Neist Point after a harrowing 40-minute drive, the wind was even stronger than elsewhere and it was raining horizontally. Walking was very difficult and I had to shoot at 1/400th of a second because holding my camera steady was simply impossible and my tripod was no match for the gale. When the wind finally knocked me off my feet and into a soggy bog, I decided it might be wise to pack things up. I managed a few photos that were not crap but on balance, it was a failed outing. A gale force wind is rated at 39-46 mph. I have no doubt that the wind speed at the point was closer to 60 mph.

Yesterday’s rain was replaced with gale-force winds as we drove from Glencoe to the Isle of Skye. Our first stop along the way was the Neptune Staircase, the longest staircase lock in Scotland, raising the canal by 62 feet over a quarter of a mile of continuous masonry. Requiring nearly two decades to complete the lock began operation in 1822 and is still in use today. It takes around 90 minutes for a boat to travel up or down the locks. 

Our next stop was the Glenfinnan Viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter movies in which it is traversed by the Hogwart’s Express. The viaduct is built from mass concrete (no rebar; strong in compression, weak in tension) and has 21 semicircular spans of 50 feet. It is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland at 416 yards, and crosses the River Finnan at a height of 100 feet.

As we approached the Isle of Skye, where we will be spending the next four nights, we stopped to photograph the Eilean Donan Castle, originally built in the 13th century.

Pictured below is the Old Sligachan Bridge built between 1810 and 1818. Legend has it that eternal beauty may be gained from bathing one’s face in the enchanted water beneath it. Specifically, one must submerge their face in the ice-cold water for 7 seconds and then allow it to air dry. Although Jeanine and I could both benefit from a dose of eternal beauty, neither of us felt compelled to stick our heads in the river and decided on some hot tea at the pictured inn instead.

Our final stop for the day was in Portree, the largest town on the island, where we found a good vantage point from which to enjoy the famous colored houses that can be found here.

Hadrian’s Wall is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of Emperor Hadrian. The largest Roman archaeological feature in Britain, it runs a total of 73 miles across the whole width of the island. Soldiers were garrisoned along the line of the wall in large forts, smaller milecastles, and intervening turrets. Homesteads Roman Fort is perhaps the best preserved and where we stopped for a visit this afternoon. The fort was occupied for almost 300 years and housed some 800 soldiers. Wooden floors in the various buildings were supported by vertical stones which kept the interiors dry and free of vermin.

In total, we spent more than 5 hours driving from the Lake District through the Scottish highlands to Glencoe, our destination for the night on what might be the most scenic road I have ever witnessed. Regrettably, heavy rain, high winds, and low clouds made photography impossible and we can only hope for better weather when we make the return trip.

Today I ventured out on my own for a day of photography while Jeanine and the kids all did their own things. Pictured above is St Mary’s Parish in Ambleside constructed in the 1850s. I used my drone to capture the most flattering perspective. Below is the Cathedral Quarry, a small network of interlinked quarries above Little Langdale. The system is best known for its main chamber, which stands forty feet in height and is lit by two windows off the main quarry. They are frequently referred to as Cathedral “Cave”.

On the hike to the caves, one has an opportunity to cross the Slater Bridge which dates back to the 17th century. Built of slate, it consists of a 15-foot segmental arch and a flatter span built of slabs and incorporates a natural boulder in midstream. The bridge is thought to have been created by miners working in the nearby quarry. It has been described by, Alfred Wainwright, a famous British fellwalker, guidebook author, and illustrator as “the most picturesque footbridge in Lakeland.”

A tiny, whimsical 17th-century stone house on a bridge over Stock Beck River caught my attention. A relatively short hike took me to the Stock Ghyll Waterfall. Pictured below is the lower section of the 70-foot falls.

My final destination for the day featured a stepping-stone river crossing. Normally, I focus on still images but when I saw a young woman in a white dress and yellow boots getting ready to cross I switched to video.

With rain forecasted for the entire day, our group decided to do a flat hike around Lake Buttermere, arguably the most beautiful of the lakes in the Lake District. We started and ended the 4.5-mile walk in light rain but during the middle, we had a respite and a chance to thoroughly appreciate this magnificent place. Afterward, we relaxed in a local pub for fish and chips and steak and ale pie. Jeanine, Kyle, and Nico were walking ahead of the group when I took this photo so Maya was our only representative.

Today, Maya, Nico, and the rest of the lodge crew tackled Jack’s Rake, a challenging climb with a lot of exposure (see the route pictured below). I become paralyzed when I am in such situations and would not have been able to complete the climb. Regardless, I had already decided to avoid further vertical climbing to protect my knees for the soccer season and was joined by Kyle for the day on a photographic expedition. Meanwhile, Jeanine joined Lou Ann (our hostess) on a shopping excursion to Keswick.

Below are a few of my favorite images from the day. The first is a second attempt at a photo I took yesterday. This time I returned with my tripod so I could make a long exposure and circular polarizing filter so the colors would pop. I think the difference was worth the effort.

After two perfect weather days, things returned to normal with a bit of rain throughout the day. The kids decided to have a rest after their big climb yesterday. Jeanine and I opted for a 6-mile valley walk with our hosts. The constant drizzle only added to the ambiance and the relatively flat trail was a welcome change of pace for my very achy knees.

Jeanine opted to attend Easter Mass this morning, I joined the adults to hike Sheffield Pike (2000 ft. climb, 6.5 miles), and the kids tackled the very challenging Helvellyn via Striding Edge (2660 ft., 9.5 miles). Hard to say who had the most fun but I can claim the company of the best dog, Pemberry (Pembi, for short). UPDATE: Maya, who has been proclaimed the BogWench by her mates felt it would be appropriate to honor her new title by taking a plunge in the ice-cold Red Tarn during her ascent of Helvellyn. Kyle suggested I was to blame for this questionable choice of bathing location because of the “Brave Maya” training I put her through as a small child.

We were treated to lovely weather for our first proper hike in the Lake District where we are staying in the small town of Patterdale with the MacKenzie family. Fiona MacKenzie is a close high school friend of Maya’s and current flatmate. Alex MacKenzie is one of my former soccer teammates. Also in the photo is Alex’s brother, Charles, and his family as well as Fiona’s brother and his friend from childhood. The MacKenzie’s have been holding family reunions in Patterdale for more than 50 years and today we did their traditional first-day’s climb of Place Fell. The views were outstanding and well worth the rugged 7 mile hike. On the way up Maya escorted Kyle through an underground cave/tunnel and I caught them as they emerged.

The family arrived in the UK this morning. We all flew together to Dublin and then the boys continued to Manchester while Jeanine, Maya, and I flew to Edinburgh. This unusual arrangement is due to our different return plans. After renting a defective car (steering wheel on the wrong side) we stopped for breakfast at a local bakery before driving to the Lake District. There we stopped at the Aira Force Waterfall for a short hike before checking into the nearby lodge where we will be staying for the next week..

Using leftover scraps from the plywood I used to build the stair treads, I completed the drawer fronts and doors on my shop sink cabinet today. I know I declared I was done with cabinetry the other day but I did not include my shop as part of the official house. The fact is, a shop is never really DONE. It is merely in a suboptimal state of completion. I also built some drawer dividers for the walk-in closet and finished the partitions for Jeanine’s spice drawer. The work was a nice distraction from the passage of another kidney stone that started this morning. I am hoping it will move through me before I start our vacation later this week.

Nico traveled to Florida this weekend to attend the wedding of one of his high school buddies. Pictured above is the Concord Carlisle High School cohort in attendance. Below, he is seen with his high school prom date who lives in California now. Unable to attend his 10th high school reunion because he was gravely ill, I am sure he enjoyed this opportunity to reconnect with his former classmates.

I returned to the soccer pitch for my first match in 9 months. I am now playing in the over-62 league and our opponents were from the over-55 division. We secured a 2-0 victory in this friendly tune-up game. I played for 45 minutes and the only thing that can be said of my performance is that I did not get injured. Fortunately, this complied with the directive issued to me by Jeanine as I left this morning in advance of our approaching two-week vacation in the UK. I am hopeful that all the hiking we have planned will have me return substantially more prepared for all the running my wing-midfielder position demands.

Finally, I have completed the built-in cabinetry and essential woodworking projects for our new house. I started last July and have been working on it almost every day since. The last items to be completed were the upper cabinets in the mudroom. Eight months may seem like a long time but not when you consider the scope of the work. I am including the list below for my future reference.

• Kitchen Island with 12 drawers, 6 shelves, and a seating nook.
• Kitchen Counter with 25 drawers, 2 slide-out trash bins, dishwasher nook, and 2 undersink doors.
• Flush mount refrigerator cabinet.
• Flush mount double oven cabinet with lower drawer and 2 door upper cabinet.
• Two wall mount 2 door cabinets with 3 shelves each.
• Wall mount 2 door cabinet, with microwave nook, and 3 shelves.
• Pantry counter with 6 drawers
• Wall mount 4 door cabinets with 4 shelves.
• Flush mount freezer cabinet with adjacent 5 section hutch.
• Pantry wall shelving with 15 sections.
• Bench seat in entry and 4 in-wall nooks.
• Living room six door, 4 shelf, shallow counter.
• Office 4 door counter and 4 door wall cabinet with 4 shelves.
• Office desk
• Side table for living room.
• Coffee table stand.
• Mudroom counter with 6 drawers, 2 doors, and a 6 door wall mount cabinet with 5 shelves.
• Mudroom 6-section shelving unit with 9 coat hangers below.
• Laundry counter with 6 drawers, 3 doors, and a sink.
• Flush mount cabinet for stacking washer and dryer with 2-door upper cabinet.
• Half-bath floating vanity with vessel sink.
• Main bathroom vanity with double sink and 4 drawers.
• Guest bathroom vanity with single sink and 4 drawers.
• Third bathroom vanity with single sink and 4 drawers.
• Main bedroom walk-in closet dresser with 15 drawers and 9 shelves.
• Main bedroom walk-in closet high and low hanging rods with 16 shelves.
• Guestroom walk-in closet dresser with 12 drawers and 6 shelves.
• Guestroom walk-in closet high and low hanging rods with 16 shelves.
• Spare bedroom closet high and low hanging rods with 12 shelves.
• Two in-wall art nooks in the 1st and 2nd floor hallways.
• Mechanical room workbench.
• Shop miter saw station with 12 drawers and 6 shelves.
• Shop sink cabinet with 4 drawers and 2 doors.
• Shop workbench.
• 29 stair treads.
• Eight stair stringers.
• 150 balusters, 7 Newell posts, 4 handrails, and 3 guard rails.
• Temporary railing for front and side doors.
• Garage entry steps and landing.

Not included here are all the non-woodworking projects that occupied me for at least half my time, a list of which will have to wait for another day.

Credit for all this work needs to be shared with the entire family. Jeanine was my gluing partner for all the drawer boxes, helped with most of the finishing work, and was often coerced into helping me move heavy things up and down stairs. Kyle helped move the really heavy stuff (sheets of plywood, machines, cabinet carcasses) every time he visited. Nico helped with the finishing, sanded and painted the stair stringers, and helped with their installation. Maya assisted with drawer slide installation, 3D printing, and water jetting. Even Jeanine’s sister Susan jumped onto the finishing assembly line while visiting for the holidays.

I have always dreamed of building a house. Although I did not pour the concrete or do the framing or drywalling or masonry or the numerous other tasks, I do feel I have realized my dream and feel a great sense of pride in the work. It is sobering to think that I will never again tackle a project of this magnitude and can only hope that it will stand the test of time for future generations (hopefully Calabrias) to enjoy.

For the last few days, we have enjoyed visits from the very healthy-looking fox pictured above. Today, I was able to run and grab my camera before he continued past the house on his morning hunt. I have decided to name him Frankie in honor of my father who was called the Silver Fox by his students. I am not sure if this is a male or female but I think the name works in either case. This photo was taken through triple pane glass so not quite as sharp as I would like. When I have a little more time on my hands, I may set up a small. outdoor blind so that I can get a better image.