Beach art

Amazing what a tide can sculpt in the sand.

Geese

About 7 pm 7 Oct 07. A skein of 80+geese flying east over the house.

Benderloch skies

7 Oct 07 - Just before sunset, from the house.


A few minutes later.

By the Beach Oct 1st 2007

Selma cottages near the beach at the old port. Ben Lora forest in the background. The main part of the village is hidden by the small hill and trees behind the cottages.


The tide was low enough to let me get round the headland into the next small bay to see these rock formations.


Close up shows a line of barnacles along the rock around the high-water line.

St Columba's Bay sunset

Two photos taken about 7pm 26Sept07.
Location St Columba's Bay about 2 miles north of Benderloch.
The lower view is looking west over Loch Creran. The distant Morvern hills are on the far side of Loch Linnhe.

New air service

As of today you can catch a seaplane from the River Clyde in Glasgow and about half an hour later land on Oban Bay. Here's the link to the website.
I was in Oban today and got this quick snap of the plane coming in to land from the supermarket car park.

Cow+

Highland cow poses for the camera, July 07


Three swallows settle down to roost for the night on a plant-hanger inside our porch. I think these were youngsters from a nest on the church close by. First there was one, which soon got used to our comings and goings. We went away on a holiday and on our return there were up to five swallows trying to fit into the space. Even now, in August some of them still return at night.

Views from home

A buzzard hovers above Ben Lora forest. (26 May 07)
I took this photo from the front doorstep. It is looking about 300ft up the hill. The buzzard is over the popular "Eagles Eyrie" viewpoint high above Benderloch. We have occasionally seen an eagle, and once sea-eagles in the same bit of sky.
To see a full panoramic winter scene taken from the viewpoint click here.


Virtually the same view as above. I took this from the front door. looking east, tonight (4th June) following a mainly overcast day. Just before sunset the sun appeared low in the west below the cloud. Mist was rising over the wood and the light appears to come from below. Quite a nice scene which only lasted a few minutes.

Canoes - Falls of Lora.

My photo of canoeists braving the "Falls of Lora" underneath Connel Bridge has won the May 07 competion on the Scottish Rural Gateway website.
Read the story here. (update Feb 09 - no longer available)

Trip to Lismore island

A group of us from the Garden Club visited the island of Lismore.
This shot is a visit to a derelict water-powered mill. The distant hill is Ben Lora, above Benderloch.



The parish church on Lismore dates back to St. Moluaig, a contempory of St. Columba. Columba settled on Iona, Moluaig came here - about 1300 years ago.


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Slideshow of the trip.
Hold your mouse pinter over the image.
Use Pause and Play and <> at base of picture to control.

Gardens in May.

A walk around Druimavaric gardens at the head of Loch Creran.

Lovely weather for early May.

I just bought a new car. As you can see its a convertible, and the weather for the past week has been ideal for motoring with the top down. This picture of me was taken at Ardchattan Priory on the shore of Loch Etive.


Yet another sunset view over Tralee Bay towards Mull.


A large-flowered white rhododendron in a neighbour's garden.

Canoes

Canoes braving the currents at the Falls of Lora.

The "falls" are a tidal phenomenon at the outflow of Loch Etive adjacent to the road bridge. An underwater cliff constricts the tidal flow producing impressive currents, whirlpools and standing waves. The high tides this week have made it very attractive to canoeists. These guys were paddling against the water flow as the tide was going out. I took the photo from the bridge.

Clouds and Moon, Benderloch

Just around sunset but looking east.
I was fascinated by the streaming shapes of the cloud, especially the lower one like a comb or an upside-down wave. The bright thing is the moon.
This was the original as the camera took it.

I put the photo through Phtotshop and an auto-correct filter brought out these sunset colours. Fascinating.

Click picture to enlarge - its worth it!

Highland Cattle

I took this on the way back from the beach (see Tralee Walk, below).


From the car, near south Shian, Benderloch, the next day.

Tralee Walk

A nice Sunday afternoon so plenty of people went to the beach by a variety of means.

We walked.


Riders on the Tralee road on the way to the beach.


Looking east over the dunes to the sand and sea.
Benderloch is under the hill.


Sailing in one of the dinghies from the Tralee Caravan Park.

More - Tralee walk

Horse riding on Tralee beach with dog.


Splashing through the waves
(This was taken from a movie so quality reflects this.)


It looks quite late in the day, but really its mid-afternoon
and the sky was blue but hazy.

Deer, Benderloch

Roe deer spotted on a croft in Benderloch village on 27/3/07
Click the picture to enlarge.


I spotted this deer a few days later in the woods about half a mile from the other picture.

"Summer" cruises re-commence

The Hebridean Princess berthed at the north pier, Oban on 22 March 07.
This ship makes luxury cruises around the Hebridean islands and beyond throughout the summer season. Last year she was chartered by the Queen for her annual family holiday.

In the distance is the island of Mull, and you'll spot snow still on the hills.

After the snow

Foraging for mussels on the shore of Loch Creran
(Added 10 May - I entered this photo in a Rural Life in Scotland competition and while it didn't win, it is featured at the top of the list of runners-up.)


Beached boat, Loch Linnhe


Panoramic view of Loch Linnhe

There was quite a bit of snow on 19/20 March.
We even had a nice covering here at sea level first thing on the Monday
On Tuesday the sun had returned and we took a drive up past Loch Creran and Loch Linnhe to Ballachulish and Glencoe. Glorious sun on the coast but a bit more cloudy in the glen.

There's a full picture album here. Click on the "Glencoe trip" album.