Painting on the Edge

Along the Cliffs at Dunnet Head
Watercolour
26 x 36 cm
Another painting of the dramatic cliffs at Dunnet Head, a suitable setting for the most northerly point on the British mainland. The rocks here are sandstones, but there is a surprising variety of colours, from pale greys to red-browns. It was these colours that attracted me to this view.

Sunshine at Sandside Head Watercolour 18 x 26 cm
This was a day of bright sunshine at Sandside Head, when the light was almost dazzling. The cliffs here are topped by an ecologically important area of maritime grassland. There are large numbers of Scottish Primroses, which are only found in the North of Scotland and Orkney. At this time of year the cliffs are alive with breeding seabirds, especially guillemots. It's a wonderful place to sit and relax and get away from cares and worries for a while.

Sea-cave at Strathy Watercolour 26 x 18 cm
Sea-caves are common along the coasts of Caithness and Sutherland. They are the first stage in a dramatic form of coastal erosion. With a straight line of cliffs, the cave gradually gets deeper and eventually the roof falls in. This leaves a deep chasm, which is called a geo in this area. When the cave is on a promontory, the sea eventually breaks through at the back to leave an arch. This then gets eroded until it collapses, leaving a sea stack. All of these features can be seen around the coastline here.