Perfect Morning Reflections, Loch an Eilein We’d been having a pattern of misty frosty nights, quickly clearing to perfect blue skies. I love these early spring days, feeling the warm intensity in the direct sun but crisp in the shade. With the strong light it quickly becomes too harsh and the contrast too great for […]
The Tree-Island, Loch Vaa It was a bright afternoon when I went to Loch Vaa – until I got there by which time the afternoon sun had disappeared behind a big cloud bank. However, it was completely calm, and the muted colours and reflections were well worth the trip. Loch Vaa has no inflow or […]
Braeriach in perfect late winter conditions Conditions on the mountains were quite stunning this week, with deep frost and the most perfect blue skies. I love this time of year when the days are becoming longer, spring is under way down in the valley, and the mountains are at their best for snow cover. The […]
Icy sunset, Loch Vaa Sunset rays sparkle across the frozen surface, and catch the far shore of frozen Loch Vaa. It had been below freezing for many days, with all the local lochs starting to freeze hard. I arrived at the Loch towards sunset, just as the sun managed to break through what had been […]
Golden light bathes Glenfeshie after a snowstorm Its easy on some winter days to look out, and decide to stay in… I went out anyway despite the stormy snow showers whipping across the hills. My trust was rewarded as a break in the clouds bathed the landscape in a golden glow from the setting sun. […]
Sun glinting on the distant plateau of the Gaick hills. Winter has still hardly arrived with only a few mildly frosty days. This weekend however saw some snow on the hills, and an icy start with blue skies. The sun was blinding on the distant snowy mountain-tops, although obscured by the intervening thick haze, giving […]
Solstice Rainbow over Loch nan Carraigean Ring Cairn The late December weather has been tough with hardly any let-up from the squally storms, rain turning to sleet and back again and no break before the next bout. Come the midwinter solstice and I was determined to get out before total cabin fever set in. After […]
Perfect evening calm, Loch Mallachie Loch Mallachie is really just a slightly deeper bit of the surrounding bog, close by the famous Osprey reserve of Loch Garten in Strathspey. Stunted, characterful pines grow out from the marshy edges, and from the small island. The loch is home to many birds which breed here in the […]
Beams of light pour from storm-clouds over Strathspey, from Ord Ban Ord Ban is a great wee hill. Its very steep, but the old Victorian-built path winds up gently, until the final section when there’s nothing for it but grit and determination! Luckily its only a short steep section. Once on top, the views up […]
Autumn Birch, Craigellachie A stunning autumn morning at Craigellachie lochan, one of my favourite places locally. The lochan is definitely a morning place – at this time of year the sun sets behind the crag by late morning throwing the wood into shade. There was just one morning recently when we had early sun, so […]
Autumn Beech wood, Rothiemurchus Autumn has been late this year, and its stayed warmer longer than usual. In this last week the Highland woods have been glowing against deep blue skies with beautiful days of sunshine. Pheasants squawked and scattered as I wandered, and I could see Roe deer down in the marshy area by […]
Sunset Pines, Loch Garten, Strathspey Most of the day had been grey, however as evening came on the clouds cleared allowing the setting sun to shine through. Loch Garten has very ‘fluid’ edges, with boggy marshes and pine-islands, and one of these made an atmospheric sunset-spot. The sense of space and quiet was immense, with […]
