American Skunk Cabbage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysichiton_americanus

Thats the one, thanks both..and seeing as Culzean Castle was Eisenhower's HQ during the second world war in the 1940s....not surprising that it is there!

Culzean Castle...and Kiwi Woofer

 We had a wander around the grounds of Culzean Castle....and blogger has uploaded all the photos in a random manner!!

 The first two show what our local breezes get up to with the trees.

Next I'd like an ID for these,growing in the shallow end of the lake..any suggestions?

 The pagoda, once a monkey house

 Gateway to the courtyard where one finds a shop, a cafe, and......

 PIRATES!!!!!

 "Would you trust your daughter with this man?" asked the Pirate...Well yes,I would, if I had an available daughter....and she would be happy and well cared for!!      Thanks for the visit,Sheldon!

 Checking the external rifling on a rather dilapidated field gun

 The main building

 Them again!

Views of the stable courtyard.

Today we assisted our Kiwi woofer on his way by car, via a bike shop.
He had thought he could ride nearly 220 miles to Aberdeen in a day and a half, with large panniers.....
A new gear cassette was purchased to give him lower gears in his summer riding across Europe.
We drove over the Campsie Fells and had lunch in Crieff before delivering him to Perth where he had booked an overnight stay via a website for cycle tourists.
You pay with your company and talking with your host cyclists.

We left him sitting on the lawn and the car felt rather empty....we'll miss him, but might catch up with him in a couple of months after his working stay on an organic veggie farm on the Shetland Isles. Lets hope he catches tomorrow afternoon's ferry!

If not then, we'll have a lot of catching up to do in New Zealand in 2017!!!!

storm damage

At the National Trust for Scotland's property, Culzean castle.

I know beech trees have shallow roots....but there are a lot of trees of all types, gone in the latest storms.

day out

 Today started leisurely...then was delayed by snow and hail showers!

This was not a day for the bikes, so we ventured forth in what The Pirate calls "the Tin Overcoat"!

We went to the trig point on top of the Carrick Hills to show the Pirate's daughter the view...of squalls coming over the sea to Ayr.

 Looking towards to top, there were some beautiful cloud formations.

Down to Maybole Shore again and this time we could go on the beach.

weathered rock on the beach

 Thence to the visitor centre at Culzean Castle for much needed coffee and cake to warm us after the windy walk by the sea.

We investigated the second-hand bookshop (open every day!) and found a treasure trove of old Ordnance Survey maps...

Then to the Swan Pond, snack bar unfortunately closed...

 with pond....(and a few ducks and swans as well as these)

 and pagoda, which will be 200 years old next year.

 Early on, they kept monkeys here..and the handrails are tail-shaped

Then back to Kirkmichael and Jock's Cafe in the community shop for a late lunch.

And it is only almost half-past six, plenty of time to have more adventures....

by Maybole Shore

 We grabbed the chance of a ride between showers today and headed to the coast.

From Maybole Shore, at Goat's Green, you can see Culzean (said "cull-een") (I have been corrected..."cull-ayn" !) Castle and the Ailsa Craig Rock, which is ten miles off Girvan and halfway between Glasgow and the coast of Ulster. Depending upon the weather, if you can see it, it can look twice as far away or almost near enough to touch. World class curling stones are made from its granite. It is also presently for sale by the Kennedy dynasty.

 Looking towards Dunure, northwards along the coast.

 Looking across the Atlantic

Looking across to Cambelltown, on the Mull of Kintyre.

After lunch in the cafe at Culzean Castle we carried on southwards to Maidens before turning homewards with the wind....a fortunate decision as we appeared to be riding  behind a wintry rainshower.