Clyde Clippers in Aberdeen Harbour

 Clyde Clippers now offer boat trips round Aberdeen harbour. Despite the no show from the bottle nosed dolphins  their Marine Wildlife Cruise was a memorable and highly enjoyable experience.

Despite highly favourable weather conditions the expected bottle nosed dolphins failed to show. Wildlife sightings were limited to several jelly fish, a pin tail, guillemots and several assorted gulls. 

We embarked on what seemed to be a minute vessel in comparison with the giants in the harbour

The views of Aberdeen from the harbour were magnificent

We had fears that the dreaded haar which so often plagues the east coast would scupper our plans but could not have had a better day. Offshore a gentle, refreshing breeze made the heat bearable.

 The Torry Battery, built around 1861 during the Napoleonic Wars, overlooks the entrance to the harbour.

Lighthouse at the end of the old south breakwater, Torry Battery in the background.

 

Looking towards the Esplanade, the Beach Ball room in the centre.

Sharing our trip were children from Chernobyl

The children were supported by the Aberdeen City and Shire Link of the Chernobyl Children Lifeline a charity formed after the nuclear explosion of 1986. The children are brought to Scotland for a respite visit during which they benefit from medical check ups and from clean fresh air away from the contaminated food air and water.   We take these granted  but such is the level of contamination in Belarus that a visit of a few weeks greatly boosts their immune systems. 

Branched Bur-reed in the Kessock Burn

The Kessock Burn outside Fraserburgh's Tesco store is currently completely overgrown with vegetation which in turn completely conceals the mess of litter in the burn
.
Branched Bur-reed (Sparganium erectum)

The large leaves of the marsh marigolds poke out below the spear like leaves of the curious  Branched bur-reed and the fragrant cream flowered meadow sweet which fill the bed of the burn.

Poppies in Fraserburgh

 A blaze of scarlet poppies on the Fraserburgh Bypass 

From the wild flower mix sown by the council a couple of years ago the poppies and a few cornflowers have self seeded and provide  a vibrant splash of colour.

Speyside: some June botanical treasures

Dell Woods 

Chickweed wintergreen (Trientalis europaea)

This delicate flower abounds in the pine woods.

Tr
 Mossy Cyphel (Minuartia  sedoides)

This low cushion forming plant grows on gravel in the old station sidings at Nethy Bridge.
Unexciting to look at but also very uncommon

Duack Bridge

White dog roses (Rosa canina) along the Speyside Way

Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) growing beside the Puggy Line trail through Dell Woods, Nethy Bridge

One of the many roe deer

Properly Lochan Mor,according to no less an authority than Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus,The Highland Lady herself, but now known as the Lily Loch has several large patches of White Water-lily (Nymphaea alba) 

Alpine Bistort (Polygonum viviparum)
Patches of this short perennial grow by the woodland path leading from Inverdruie to Lochan Mor The bulbils on the lower part of the stem will eventually fall off to produce new plants.

Meadow land on the west side of the road from Nethy Bridge to Coylumbridge
This magnificent meadow, is studded with the spikes of butterfly orchids, there are also patches of thyme, tormentil and Common rockrose suggesting that the soil is slightly calcareous. A fence makes photography difficult.

 Butterfly orchid (Platanthera)