Old pine stump relections at Loch Mallachie sunset

Mallachie Pine

An old pine standing in the bog in the (very) squelchy edge of Loch Mallachie, Strathspey, glowing in golden sunset colours.

Loch Mallachie sunset in perfect callm

Loch Mallachie Sunset

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 […]

Breathing forest

Breathing Forest

Morning mist, Cairngorms National Park The mist rising from Kennapole, as seen from Torr Alvie, with the crags of Glenfeshie beyond, on one of those rare early winter days when the world conspires (and inspires) to amaze with beauty, the forest appearing to breath. I say morning mist, in fact it was already well into […]

Strathspey Light and Shade

Patterns of light and shadow, looking over Strathspey from Ord Ban Ord Ban is a steep climb, but the view is worth it.   This is the view looking south-west over the Strathspey woodlands, to the Monadhliath Mountains behind.  Winter is definitely here, with snow on the hills and days of freezing mist, like yesterday, when […]

Mist Inversion

Snowy Cairngorms across misty Strathspey Looking across the mist-filled valley to the snowy Cairngorms, from Craig Na Gower, near Aviemore, on a perfect late autumn day.  I don’t know how many more of these we will have before winter sets in for real… “We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without […]

Streaming Mist

Mist streaming over the ridge, Craigellachie, Aviemore The sun kept coming and going through the edge of the mist-bank on Craigellachie.  For just a few minutes there was an amazing effect as mist flowed through the trees on top of the ridge. “There is a story of a woman running away from tigers. She runs […]

Misty Birch

Misty Birch at Craigellachie Lochan After a week of grey mist, rain and general dull weather, Thursday was a gem.  With the village in thick freezing mist, I walked up through the Birch wood a short way into a startling deep blue sky, through wreaths of mist coming and going.  The Birch glowed golden in […]

Crazy Reflections

Loch Mallachie Reflections I loved these ‘crazy reflections’ taken last weekend, with the strong low sun creating golden ripples. It hasn’t been a photography week – November has returned to type, after the long settled spell, with a weekend of savage gales and downpours, and fresh snow on the hills this morning – when they […]

Loch Mallachie

Sinking sun at Loch Mallachie, Boat of Garten, Strathspey Fingers crossed – so far November has been amazingly mild and bright, with many sunny days like today where the impulse was to ‘get out and enjoy it!’  An hour’s bike ride on the tracks through the deep quiet of the pine forest to enjoy the […]

Sunset Pines

Pines at sunset, Tullochgrue, Rothiemurchus After a cold, damp, misty November day with no sight of the sun, I got lucky by heading a couple of hundred feet up to Tullochgrue – a small but steep hill which overlooks the surrounding area of Rothiemurchus.  The sun shone out from under the cloud cover as it […]

Reflection in Blue

Reflection in blue – Craigellachie National Nature Reserve. A perfect blue sky reflecting in the lochan, with just a few floating leaves… and no wind! A few thoughts on Nature and appreciation this week… “Nature never did betray the Heart that loved her.” – Wordsworth. “Fresh beauty opens one’s eyes wherever it is really seen, […]