Honey & Rye Cake

Honey & Rye Cake

As alluded to previously, before I popped up to Leeds for the Bloggers Blog Awards, I went to my parents in Scotland and due to the weather on a couple of the days, I ended up doing a good amount of baking. Ingredients up there can be slightly more awkward due to a need for things to keep. My dad also has a bread machine, and because of this he has a large stock of different flours. We unearthed a bag of rye that he practically begged us to use as he had no plans to and didn’t want it to go to waste. After raiding the cupboards we worked out that honey was probably the best ingredient we had at our disposal for doing something cake-y. Some quick (by my parents island internet standards) googling took place and we found that honey & rye cake is actually a particular french special.

Honey & Rye Cake
Read more

Isle of Mull – January 2015

Family at Knockvologan

As I’ve mentioned previously on the blog, my parents recently moved to the Isle of Mull. It’s been a fairly crazy couple of months, my mum got struck by lightening?!, it’s been the coldest/heaviest snow that Mull has had in years (they keep on being assured, it NEVER does this here). And they are still, of course, living out of boxes. Anyway, they’ve wanted me to head up and see the new place so I took the first opportunity I could. I’ve been sleeping really badly (combo of stress and some other issues) and a weekend away on Mull would be just the ticket to help sort me out (I hope it lasts).

View from Kinnloch Steddings

11009080_10101874475659529_802442311_n

 

Snowdrops at Kinnloch Steddings

 

I’ve not done a “weekend” up there since I moved south. From Leeds I could viably take off the one day and get a good chunk of time on the island before heading back. From London? Not so easy. I opted for the Megabus Gold on the way up (this meant I could travel overnight and be in Glasgow early). Well, that’s the last time I do that on my own. I had to basically share a bed with a complete stranger (alas it wasn’t an attractive lady, just a middle aged man).  It did mean, however, that I was in Oban waiting for the ferry by about 12. If I’d left that morning from London it would have meant an entire day of travelling (See the Sunday trip home…).

Knockvologan Beaches

11026555_10101874475614619_460272116_n

It rained. What a surprise aye? But it was great to see the new place, and we headed off for a quick stomp (nothing too ambitious due to the weather) to the beaches at Knockvologan. Unfortunately, I hardly used my proper camera on this trip, having to rely almost entirely on my phone. It was the kind of wet outside where you’d be out for 5 minutes and be soaked through, I didn’t want to risk my camera in that. These beaches are superb as they are remote enough to be quiet but actually relatively easy to access. They have superb white sand which stretches a long way, good wildlife (we were being watched by a number of seals) and superb turquoise water (even in the rain).

Knockvologan Beaches

11041386_10101874475619609_642653931_n

I baked a couple of Lemon Drizzle loaves, but didn’t take any pictures (we just ate them, soz) and it reminded me I need to actually do that recipe at some point (in the mean time check out my miniature Lime Drizzle Loaves). The Sunday back reminded me exactly why I’d tried to break up the journey by going overnight. I left at 10am from My parents place and got back home at 10pm, shattered beyond belief.

 

10952008_10101874475629589_201000469_n

11026700_10101874475594659_832729942_n

11042283_10101874475609629_1388300345_n

I’m looking forward to more adventures at their new place, which was pretty nice to say they have just moved in, it needs work and they are still living out of boxes. It’s exciting to see what the future holds for them up there. I’ll be back up pretty soon for a slightly longer stay. And I’m trying to organise a camping/campervan trip around Scotland for later in the year. Any tips on other bits of Scotland to visit?