Into the Highlands

Sheep grazing in Glen Shee

Evening light near Pitlochry

Lovelocks on a footbridge over the river Ericht, Rattray

Mull of Galloway Images

Over the next week or so more images from my trip to the Mull of Galloway will be added to my Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/richardflintphoto/

Dog Days II

The walk back to Waverley

Looking over at the Christmas market in Edinburgh – December 2018 – on the walk back to Waverley Railway Station.

The Pillbox

The same pillbox photographed in 2009 and 2016. The first shot looks west towards East Runton and the second image looks east towards Cromer, the distinctive Victorian pier being visible on the horizon.

Originally constructed on the clifftop, the pillbox ended up down on the beach due to coastal erosion. An intricate series of coastal defences were constructed in key locations along the Norfolk coast, many of which can still be seen.

At the start of World War 2, Norfolk was seen as the most logical location for a potential German invasion of England due to its geographical location (closest part of Britain to Germany) and beaches with deep water access that would enable ships to get close into the coast and put troops ashore.

The Lonely Tree

I’m currently going through my Scotland images and came across this one taken in 2013. It certainly lives up to the Darker Skies name!

The tree has appeared in a number of my photographs including the one below that has been used as my twitter header image, on and off, since 2012.  I have to say that i’m rather fond of that little tree.

Both photographs were taken at a location near Dornie, Highlands of Scotland.

From the Castle Walls

Sterling Castle is one of the most impressive landmarks in Scotland and one that i’d passed for quite a few years without stopping for a closer look.  Fortunately i managed to get that closer look last weekend and both the castle and the views were fantastic.

Sterling sits in the central Scotland and has played a key role in shaping the country over the years. It’s strategic position, combined with the near impregnability of the castle, has caused invading armies many problems over the years. Often they would bypass it rather than try and take it.

The visibility was fantastic on the Sunday i visited. The cold November air was beautifully clear enabling visitors to see the mountains, located 30 or 40 miles away near Tyndrum, at the edge of Stirlingshire. A sprinkle of snow could be seen on the peaks.

One thing that did surprise me during my castle visit was the number of tourists, though i suppose that the tourism season never really stops now. I’ve always loved the reactions and behaviour of those on holiday. We all do it, but in the social media age we seem to need to prove, more than ever, that we have visited a location. The selfie stick must be the ultimate symbol of that desire. The postcard, at one time a critical part of  communicating holiday news, has been dying over the years due to social media, to the point that Salmon postcards,  who  have been publishing postcards and calendars since 1880, are to close after over 100 years of trading.

Coach tours are my favourite tourism activity to watch though. The large scale and yet fleeting visits they make are popular, seem to only give a tantalising taste of the location.  People seem to love the convenience though, even though there doesn’t appear to be the time to stand and soak in the place. Two coach tours pulled up below the castle and i took the image below. While the castle appears to be the main focus of attention, the field also contained Highland cattle that also got their photo taken. Highland cows do love having their picture though 🙂 Note the photographers who have climbed over a gate to get a clearer view.

The image of the Wallace Monument has to be my favourite from the visit. The tower stands on the Abbey Craig from which William Wallace was said to have watched the gathering of the army of King Edward I of England, just before the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. The tower also has a great view looking back at Sterling Castle, so the next visit will probably include a climb up the Wallace Monument to see the view.

The Autumnal colours are an added bonus along with the clear visibility. The light in the summer can be wonderful but it can also bring some atmospheric conditions that can hamper the photographer . The colder air, combined with the late autumn light, really helped capture  the magnificent views from the castle walls.