RAF Leuchars 'Defending the skies - Past, Present and Future

To be up in the ocean of air above my head, to slice through puffs of clouds that cloak the sun from the surface and provide countless hours of shape watching, to break the sound barrier and feel the force of gravity fight against you. 

To dream of being able to fly. 

Recently my sister and her boyfriend suggested that we go to an air show happening near Aberdeen, and as I had never been to one before I agreed that it was a great idea. Tickets were bought and the outing forgotten about until the weekend that it was taking place. Driving towards RAF Leuchars, near St Andrews in Scotland, I started to get excited and wonder what exactly the RAF Leuchars Air Show would include. 

My imagination did not do the show justice. It was simply superb, especially the Red Arrows, the Typhoons and the just plain fantastical Chinook was mind-blowing! I would definitely go to an air show again and if I won the lottery tomorrow flying lessons would be in order. 

Seeing as I couldn't bring all of you to the air  show I took a couple of photos in the hope of bring a bit of the air show to you instead. I hope you like them and if ever there is an air show near you that you go check it out. 

The E3-D Sentry. 

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team known as The Red Arrows are one of the world's premier aerobatic teams and they are the public face of the Royal Air Force. 

F-16 Royal Norwegian Air Force. The F-16 is a compact multi role fighter jet. 

Pilots answer questions about their aircraft's as the sheer size of some of the planes leaves others speechless.  

Other pilots help some of the crowds try out sitting in the cockpit- making the dreams of many a child and adult come true. 

And for those who remember or long for the days of years past there was always a photo opportunity with the re-enactors. 

The Red Arrows manoeuvre themselves around to get ready a for take off. 

We have lift off...

Up and up and up and UP they go. 

The detonator was one of the best manoeuvres that the Red Arrows performed. 

Thinking about a career in the air force perhaps?

In all things of nature...

                                In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous - Aristotle 

Scottish Hiking

Got no plans for your weekend and feel like getting some fresh air - well if you are in Scotland you could try your hand at a bit of munro bagging. So most people who read my blog are probably going 'say what? Munro bagging?' right about now.

Yes, there is such a thing and it has over the years become quite the popular pastime in Scotland and its neighbouring countries. Ok so to get us all on the same page a Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over 3, 000 ft (914.4m) and a Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a seperate mountain. They are named after Sir Hugh Munro who drew up the first list of such hills in 1981. There are 283 Munros and 227 subsidiary tops in Scotland, which basically means that is is the perfect place for hikers, climbers or just people who like to walk for hours.

So Saturday morning rolled around and my sister's friend from London arrived in Scotland to visit for the weekend and as she is training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in roughly two months we decided that it would be a great idea to try a Munro ourselves.

We layered up (never trust Scottish weather) even though the sun was out, filled our water bottles and piled into the car setting off for Loch Muick. As this was to be our starting point to climb Lochnagar.

Lochnagar is on the royal estate of Balmoral and is the name of the carter created by a massive mine explosion during the First World War. Lochnagar is also the setting for Prince Charles's children story 'The Old Man of Lochnagar' published in 1980.

It took us six hours to walk to the Munro top at Lochnagar, and the weather did not treat us kindly. It rained on us three times before we reached the top and I was soaked to the bone by the time we did (investing in a good waterproof jacket is now top of my list). As we reached the top a fog had begun to descend over the Munro, it felt a bit like you were in a cloud, and it halted our progress as we could no longer make out the path.

Here are some photos from our journey - although I have never been happier to see the car and my left leg was starting to get extremely stiff (as I must have upset a muscle that hadn't been used in years) I would happily try my hand at a Munro again!

The crater from above.

The Cliffs of Lochnagar.

Building our own 'cairn' (pronounced ken) when we reached the top. Cairn usually refers to a man-made pile of rocks and comes from the Scottish Caelic. 

If you look closely just above the hill on the right hand side you will notice a forest (dark patch) behind that is where our car is parked and shows you how far we walked. I believe it was roughly 13km, but the view and sense of accomplishment was well worth it.  

Aberdeen ignited by London 2012 Olympic Torch

70 days, 8 000 torchbearers and the beginning of a sporting event that sees the world come together.  

Crowds line the sides of Union Street in Aberdeen to secure their places to cheer the torchbearers on and catch a glimpse of the Olympic flame. 

Large screens show the crowds what is happening on the main stage set up at Castlegate Square. 

Entertainers keep the crowds in good spirits as they brave the cold while waiting for the torchbearer to make the last leg of its journey into Aberdeen. 

A birds eye view for the police. 

People of all ages came to see this once in a lifetime event. 

The final torchbearer of the day was Evelyn Capper, 60, voted by her community for her dedication and warmth as a full time foster carer. 

 Professional golfer and Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie OBE also carried the torch on its journey into Aberdeen. 

The torch will continue on to Dundee, Edinburgh, York and many other towns before ending at the Olympic stadium on the 27th July during the Olympic Games opening ceremony. 

I waited more than two hours in the cold at the side of the road in a crowd of thousands for just a glimpse of   a torch that flickered by me almost quicker than I could take a photo. Many would ask if it was worth it, and I would have to answer them 'yes, it was'. I guess the only way I can explain it is that the Olympic flame is all about symbolism. For me the torches represent what Pierre de Coubertin describes as 'an increasing friendly understanding among nations, for the good of a humanity always more enthusiastic and more courageous'