Nigel's Photo Blog

Introduction This evening I am reprising a one-day, small group tour through Glen Etive in the Scottish Highlands. Information on the tour. First we departed our lodgings in Fort William and drove south to the Pass of Glencoe then east to connect with Glen Etive. Donald Cameron of Lochiel Statue, Fort William, Scotland River Etive at Glen Etive, Scottish Highlands Visiting Glen Etive entails a 28 mile round trip scenic drive along a single track road which affords views of mountains, River Etive, waterfalls cascading off the mountains and, ultimately, a connection with Loch Etive at foot of the Glen (valley). In this region scenes from the James Bond film Skyfall were shot.  Glen Etive, Scottish Highlands .Loch Etive, Scottish Highlands. Video clips of drive through Glen Etive.         p Today’s weather conditions were relatively benign with some intermittent rain which did not detract from the experience. After returning to the main highway we turned east again and

  Ben Lomond  Introduction This evening, I am reprising a New Year’s Day hike from 2018, I ventured out for some exercise in form of a hike in the Trossachs region of Scotland, near Loch Lomond.  Information on the hike. Taking comfort from above freezing temperatures and forecast of weather brightening up in the early afternoon, I drove to Luss (on banks of Loch Lomond) and then across the road to the start of the hill path to Beinn Dubh, a peak which reaches a height of 642m (2106 feet). Beinn Dubh is a Gaelic name which translates as Black Mountain. Sign to Beinn Dubh Hill path at lower levels with mountain in distance. As start the weather was dry but very overcast which provided for some unusual light conditions as evidenced in the images in this post. Southern section of Loch Lomond on New Year’s Day 2018 View south from Beinn Dubh Hill Path. Light shining through the clouds over Loch Lomond As I progressed up,the pathway became saturated to extent it was effective

 Entrance to Òran Mór   This afternoon my wife an myself attended a theatrical performance at Òran Mór in Glasgow's West End, a name which translates from Scots Gaelic as "great melody of life" or "big song". This is a theatre, restaurant, entertainment and music venue which stands opposite to Glasgow's Botanic Gardens .  From 1862 until 1978 the building was the Kelvinside Parish Church before becoming redundant and then converted into an entertainment venue in 2004. Inside, the ground floor is now a bar and eating area whilst the floor below is used as a small theatre. Ground floor The theatrical performance ('A Herstory of the Scottish Bard') was first class and centred on the complicated relationships between Robert Burns (Scotland's National Poet) and some of the many females in his life, in this case Jean Armour, Nancy Maclehose (aka 'Clarinda') and his granddaughter, Sarah. Burns' life was relatively short covering the pe

 Colourful Store, Tarbert, Scotland This evening, I am posting information on the small town of Tarbert on Harris in the Outer Hebrides. The Outer Hebrides are a chain of islands located off the West Coast of Scotland in the Atlantic Ocean.Here can be found Harris Tweed weavers , Gaelic speakers, seafood, prehistoric monuments, mountainous scenery, sandy beaches and many sheep. Tarbert is a ferry port providing a regular crossing connection to Uig on the Isle of Skye . The name is of Gaelic origin and means ‘strip of land’ or isthmus. Tarbert is a good base for touring Lewis and Harris. The town is home to hotels and other lodgings together with shops and a  new whisky distillery.  Tarbert, Harris, Scotland Tarbert Harbour with new Distillery, Harris, Scotland CalMac ferry loading vehicles at Tarbert, Scotland West Loch Tarbert, Harris, Scotland More information The publication Visitors’ Guide to Scotland includes sections on islands, wildlife, prehistory and much

 Altar at Canterbury Cathedral, England   This evening, I am focusing on Canterbury Cathedral, the centre of the worldwide Anglican Communion.  As a place of Christian worship the site dates from AD 597 when the king of Kent was converted to Christianity and Augustine consecrated as Archbishop. Since that time the Cathedral has been the seats of successive Archbishops of Canterbury. The Cathedral incorporates various architectural styles including Norman, Perpendicular Gothic and Romanesque. The building dates from the post conquest 11th century. Key aspects of the Cathedral are: The Nave. Here can be found the marble font dating from 1639 and the West Window which contains one of the oldest pieces of stained glass in Britain, dating from c 1176. Compass Rose: Situated close to the pulpit is a brass artwork representing the symbol of world-wide Anglican Communion. Place of Martyrdom: Here Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170 by knights acting for Henry II. The Eastern Crypt wh

  Tonight, I am posting information on Ullswater. This is the second largest lake in England (7.5 miles long and less that 1 mile across). It is also the third deepest lake in England at 250 feet deep. Dramatic views can be obtained from both sides of the lake which can be accessed by foot or vehicle. Things to do and see Walking and hiking including the 20 mile long Ullswater Way. Aira Force, a magnificent 70 ft multiple waterfall with viewing bridges above and below.  Hiking up Helvellyn. At 950 metres above sea level, Helvellyn is the third highest peak in England. Photography and landscape painting. Boat cruises, boat hire and sailing. Lowther Castle and gardens. The Dalemain Estate which includes a splendid house, gardens, deer park and tenant farms.  Lakeland Bird of Prey Centre. Rookin House Equestrian and Activity Centre. Miller Farm Tours with sheepdog demonstrations.   Here is a link to general information on the English Lake District.

  This afternoon, I am indulging my interest in architecture. The building featured is St. Andrew's in the Square, a Category 'A' listed heritage building which was built between 1739-1756 and modelled on St. Martins-in-the Fields , London. The building is clearly of neo-classical design and of particular note is the scale of the portico featuring giant Corinthian columns to support the structure. There is also a hand modelled baroque facade.   St Andrew's was a functioning church until 1993 when, as a consequence of a declining congregation, the building was transferred to the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, a charity which specialises in redundant historic buildings. The Trust proceeded with an extensive refurbishment and restoration programme which was completed in 2000. Today, the building acts as a centre for Scottish culture and is also used for entertainment purposes. It is open for visitors for a few hours most Thursdays. Telephone 44(0) 141 5

This evening, I am posting a portfolio of images taken from my eyrie on the 9th floor of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow looking west.The hills in the far distance are the Campsie Fells. Note also the dynamic architecture. The images were enhanced by the (unusual) blue skies and sunshine. The hospital is located just two miles from the ancient, Govan district. More information for the visitor Please refer Visitors’ Guide to Scotland which contains nearly 800 pages of information and images on many aspects of Scotland. ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. Also available via Kindle.