Annie Worsley
@annieworsley
Writer Crofter Grandmother Geographer Author of #WINDSWEPT: life, nature & deep time in the Scottish Highlands "An instant classic of British #naturewriting" Blog:
Toute la famille réunie. Watching the eclipse in the land of druids and dragons, kings and castles. Watching an unfamiliar landscape parsed by heat and dust devils, paddling and Perseid-watching. Watching out for snippets of deep time in dolmens and menhirs, caves and crags.
45 years ago I married my mountain man. My mammy insisted he wore a top hat. Mammy & I made and decorated the cake which my Daddy said needed iron girders to hold it upright. (The cheek!) We had 4 incredible children in 4 years (crazy, right). They love this wild, wild world as much as we do.
A glorious windswept afternoon. This coastal edgeland is filled with wildflowers, birds, bees & butterflies. We've waited a long time for sunny days. We've been cocooned in mists, gentle rains, separated from the terrible heat. It's a green, green summer here in the Highlands.
Yesterday's pastel and priceless sunset. Also a serious midgefest requiring a high level of grit and determination and a large number of rude words.
At the end of June, the @theipaper.com published a list of the 'best books by destination' for holiday reading. And oh my goodness... there was #Windswept among some very famous writers and their utterly awesome books. How incredible is that! Thank you @annabonetesteve.bsky.social 🤗
Another new find on the croft! Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria), a fascinating plant which obtains all its nutrients from underground fungi, oh my.
For a few days here the official sunset is 22.28. Sunrise comes a few hours later. This short spell of night-not-night is beautiful, strange & magical. If you've not read Windswept, here’s a bit about the summer solstice. Last night, we walked out into pale gold & silver, moth wings & perfume.
"A 5* instant classic of British nature writing. Windswept isn’t only enjoyable and enriching; it contains some of the most striking descriptions of nature I’ve ever read." Horatio Clare, The Telegraph. 📷 Windswept's old strainer post & sunset view to the Outer Hebrides.
Here's a picture of Pseudorchis albida. Forgot to include it in the post below.
The croft is literally awash with orchids: purples & pinks in a great range of size, leaf/flower types & micro-habitat, dozens of nationally scarce pale cream Lesser Butterfly orchids & the first few spikes of rare tiny whites (Pseudorchis albida). I am very happy 🤗
Yes, boo, it's pouring down today in the NW Highlands but LOOK at these meadow buttercups positively ROCKING it in the sun yesterday. EVERY single one is pointing his/her face to the golden orb in the sky 💛
What a beautiful, windswept day. Ah! Summer in the NW Highlands. Blue mountains, green moors, all garlanded with wildflowers and birdsong.
I love seeing the croft come to life, revealing stories from the past, full of hope for the future. On the high, very steep river terrace are dozens of pretty-in-pink heath spotted orchids, on the modern rapidly rewilding riverbank, bluebells -(memories of old woodland) & broad-leaved marsh orchid.
The latest in the series of letters with Lochaber crofter Kirsteen Bell for @caughtbytheriver.bsky.social's Coast, Croft & Hill: letters from the NW Highlands. In April & May we talked about nightjars, spinning, cuckoos and wildflowers. Happy reading 🤗 www.caughtbytheriver.net/2026/05/crof...
Yesterday, almost sunset, mountains the colours of lavender and rosemary flowers and the first heath orchid seen on the croft. View to Beinn Alligin in the Torridon mountains at 21.58.
Winter is back. Happy weekend everyone. View upriver from the croft to Beinn Alligin, Torridon mountains, Wester Ross.
I was privileged to receive an early copy of this extraordinary book for review. It is exceptional, a brilliant exploration of landscapes, geographies & wildernesses both of the mind and of place. The Savage Landscape by @calflyn.bsky.social published by @wmcollinsbooks.bsky.social is simply superb
A wild, cold, bright morning ... followed by squalls galore, oh yes 💙💛
Flower (almost) Full Moon, Beltane Eve, rising over Tom na Gruagaich, one of the summits of Beinn Alligin. View east from home, upriver to the Torridon mountains, at sunset, 21.10.
So much peace, tranquility and solace in the profound and glorious blues of a spring day. Happy weekend from Wester Ross, Highlands of Scotland. #FridayFeeling #PrayingforPeace
After sunset, and the vast dome of sky shimmers. There's a sliver of moon. Slowly, stars begin to pop open. In a small hollow on the cliff I find shelter from the cold east wind, watch the snakeskin sea flex, and soak up the scent of myrtle which has overwritten even the tang of salt and stone.
A beautiful but chilly evening. Bats flying, birds singing, the scent of bog myrtle … View 1: across the croft and over the sea to the Quiraing, Isle of Skye View 2: from the old post at the top of the Seaweed Road (as described in Windswept) over the sea to Skye
The wee road to a mighty mountain. Liathach, Torridon, Wester Ross, NW Highlands of Scotland.