SWC300 - The Road Trip for Lovers of Nature.

Recently we travelled along the South West Coastal 300, a road trip that loops around Dumfries and Galloway and up into Ayrshire. While driving through this landscape we witnessed diverse and picturesque scenery and an abundance of wildlife. Unlike home, the hills along the SWC300 gently roll across the land but they are higher than a lot of people believe. Nestled among these hills you’ll find Scotland’s highest village, Wanlockhead. The coastline here is one of contrasts, to the east you’ll find the flat wetlands and expansive sands of the Solway. To the west, the towering cliffs of the Mull of Galloway which is Scotland’s most southerly point. The UK’s largest forest can also be found along the route. In addition to the beauty of nature you’ll also find an area steeped in captivating history and the prettiest of towns.

Our first evening was spent in Langholm, or ‘Muckle toon’ as it’s sometimes referred to locally. The River Esk is joined by Elves Water and Wauchope Water in Langholm which just adds to the charm of this pretty town. That evening we stayed at the Eskdale Hotel in the town centre. Like the rest of the people in the town, the staff were incredibly friendly and I was very impressed with the menu. There was a large selection of mains to choose from but the highlight for me was the selection of sides. I am not a fan of chips and in most places chips are your only option, where as here you could choose from chips, potatoes, salad, vegetables, rice or bread which was fantastic.

The first official stop of our trip was Gilnockie Tower which stands proudly on the banks of the River Esk. On arrival, we were met by Ian and Tom who gave us a private tour of the 16th century tower and shared all its secrets with us. The tower was the stronghold of the Clan Armstrong who were once notorious border reivers. For centuries the border reivers raided this area which at the time was often referred to as the ‘debatable lands’ because no one never really knew if they belonged to Scotland or England. The reivers had no real loyalty, Ian told us they would carry the flag of both Scotland and England and exhibit whatever flag gave them the most leverage at the time. The tower itself has been recently renovated and restored to what it would have looked like in the 16th century. Gilnockie is filled with tales of characters from centuries past but it also has an area dedicated to a figure from modern history, the one and only Neil Armstrong. The first man to walk on the moon visited the then ruined tower back in 1972 to discover the tales of his reiver ancestors while on a visit to Scotland.

Caerlaverock Wetland Centre was our next destination. This haven for wildlife is run by WWT, a conservation charity set up by Sir Peter Scott to protect wildlife and wetlands. This is the perfect place to visit if you are looking for a bit of tranquility. As we wandered along the hedgerows we were surrounded by butterflies, flowers and small birds, we even spotted a Peregrine Falcon. The reserve is home to the most northerly colony of Natterjack toads as well as larger mammals such as otters, badgers and deer. Autumn is when Caerlaverock really comes alive as almost the entire population of Svalbard barnacle geese (over 30,000 birds) begin to arrive on the Solway coast for the winter months

From the wetland centre it is possible to walk along to Caerlaverock Castle which was my favourite castle as a child. I thought it looked like a real fairytale castle thanks to the moat. Entrance to the castle is currently closed due to safety concerns with the structure but it’s still worth a visit to see the castle from the grounds. A castle has stood here for over 600 years but the structure we see today is probably quite different to the original. Over the years it was repaired and enhanced many times after regularly coming under siege particularly during the Wars of Independence.

After soaking up the sun at Caerlaverock we travelled up through the town of Dumfries and onto the delightful village of New Abbey. The romantically named Sweetheart Abbey can be found in the heart of the village. The abbey was commissioned by Lady Devorgilla in 1273 in memory of her late husband. The story goes that after her husband passed she had his heart embalmed so she could keep it with her at all times. Then, upon her own death she was buried beside her husband still clutching his heart. The monks of the Abbey named the Abbey ‘Sweetheart Abbey’ in her memory. I sadly never managed to visit or photograph the Abbey as it is currently covered in scaffolding due to restoration work.

Before travelling to our accommodation for the evening we look a wander along the beach at Powillimount and onto Southerness where you’ll find the second oldest lighthouse in Scotland. This peaceful coastline offers long walks along expansive beaches with lovely views over the Solway and across to the Lake District.

That evening we were treated to a stay at the award winning Cavens Country House which is run by husband and wife, Angus and Jane Fordyce. The beautiful house dates back to 1792 and is surrounded by a 6 acre garden. The garden is absolutely stunning and has a very ‘Secret Garden’ aura about it. On arrival Angus greeted us warmly and showed us around the house. He told us that he wants guests to have a relaxed stay and feel at home while experiencing the finery the house has to offer.

Cavens offers an exceptional dining experience as Angus has trained with some of the best chefs. We started our dinner with a free range duck dish. This was followed by Sea bass which had been caught just along the coast. We both agreed that this locally caught Sea bass had an exquisite flavour. For dessert I had a blueberry tart and Simon had a selection of cheeses purchased from the Loch Arthur Farmshop which is located nearby. Their ethos for food is all about ‘top quality ingredients and tasty, unpretentious dishes.’

Day 2 started with a visit to Threave Gardens which is managed by the National Trust for Scotland. The gardens are beautifully landscaped with an abundance of colour throughout the seasons. Within the gardens we wandered through many different styles of smaller gardens including walled gardens, rockeries, fruit and vegetable patches and an oriental garden. There are also woodland walks and a large estate house which can be visited. The wider estate is home to a variety of wildlife including birds of all shapes and sizes, bats, deer, otters and red squirrels which we were lucky enough to spot. I also managed to photograph my first ever woodpecker.

Bladnoch Distillery was our next destination, this is the most Southerly distillery in Scotland. We were given a guided tour by the lovely Helen who told us the extensive history of Bladnoch which dates back over 200 years. She told us the water for the distillery comes from the nearby River Bladnoch and the malt from British growers, this all contributes to the flavour of the whisky. I’d never been on a distillery tour before and didn’t really understand the process of making whisky so learning about the process was really interesting. After the tour we were given a whisky tasting, I was driving so couldn’t partake in this part but Simon thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Helen very kindly bottled up my tasting samples so I could enjoy them at home. After the tour and tasting we enjoyed a lovely lunch at the distillery cafe where a delicious selection of food from local producers is served.

Next stop was the Royal Burgh of Whithorn, a small town with fascinating history. Evidence suggests that Whithorn was the location of Scotland’s first Christian Church and Scotland’s oldest Christian monument can also be found in the town. Christianity’s arrival here was attributed to the mysterious figure of St Ninian whose legacy made Whithorn a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Because of its location Whithorn came under the influence of many different cultures including the early Christian Saints, the Romans, the Anglo Saxons, the Vikings and the Gaels. In fact on our visit we learnt that Galloway means ‘land of the foreign Gaels.’ When we arrived in Whithorn we met up with Julia from the Whithorn Trust who told us of the areas history and showed us around. We visited a replica round house which was amazing, a museum and a priory. Julia and her team do an incredible job of telling Whithorn’s story to visitors but they also work really hard to get the local community involved too. There are opportunities for young adults to take up apprenticeships, which has succeeded in getting many out of the spiral of unemployment. A lot of work is also done to get local school children actively involved and engaged with history.

A short drive from Whithorn you’ll find the pretty seaside village of the Isle of Whithorn and from here you can walk along the headland to St Ninian’s cave. The Saint is thought to have retreated here but it has also been suggested that this cave could have been a hermitage, a chapel or a stone carving workshop.

Our accommodation for the evening was at Tigh na Mara, a lovely hotel located across the road from a sandy beach and only 30 minutes drive from the Mull of Galloway. We were greeted warmly by the hotel manager Neil and, much to my delight, by a little cat who seems to have made the hotel its second home. Our room was cosy and comfortable with an attractive sea view. I’m really disappointed the weather wasn’t better as I was told on a sunny day it’s absolutely stunning. The hotel’s restaurant is modern, welcoming and serves delicious food. I was starving after all the walking throughout the day so decided on a steak. I was so hungry I forgot to take any pictures of the food but I can assure you it looked and tasted delicious.

The next morning we headed for Scotland’s most southerly point, the Mull of Galloway. This spectacular headland has vertical cliffs towering almost 280 feet above the turbulent seas below. On a clear day you can see the Lake District. Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and I’ve read reports you can even see Snowdon in Wales on an exceptionally clear day. This is also the perfect place for spotting wildlife. A variety of seabirds nest here but you can also see seals, whales, dolphins and even foxes clambering around the cliffs looking for a seabird snack. Like most headlands the Mull of Galloway has a lighthouse. Robert Stevenson built this lighthouse and it was first lit on 26th March 1830. I had such a lovely time wandering around this place and would love to come back again to explore it a little more.

Just outside Stranraer lies Castle Kennedy gardens. Upon entering the gardens you are met with the imposing ruin of Castle Kennedy itself. The surrounding gardens cover 75 acres and are described as ‘one of the showpieces of Galloway.’ On our visit we wandered through beautiful avenues of trees, walled gardens, wide expanses of lawn and along the shores of two lochs. Like many other areas of Dumfries these gardens are home to an abundance of wildlife. We spotted a hare but foxes, badgers, squirrels and even otters can be found here.

After all the walking around we were starving and very grateful that a lunch had been booked for us at Henry’s Bay House Restaurant in Stranraer. We were given a warm welcome by Jane and seated at a table overlooking the bay. The menu features a wide variety of meals which are all prepared freshly on the premises by local chef John. John sources many of his ingredients locally which is always a good sign. The food we had was delicious and beautifully presented which is always a nice touch.

After lunch we left Dumfries and Galloway and drove up into Ayrshire to our next stop, Culzean Castle which sits on a cliff top. Culzean must be one of the most opulent castles I’ve ever visited, inside the castle you’ll find rooms seeping with wealth and grandeur. There are many stunning paintings, priceless pieces of furniture and a fascinating insight into the lives of the people who once lived there. However, as a nature lover I was probably more impressed with the country park which surrounds the castle. The grounds offer forest walks, views across to Arran and the Ailsa Craig, beaches, a swan pond and a walled garden along with many more features. It’s the perfect place to visit for the whole family.

Our accommodation that evening allowed us to really experience the great outdoors. We stayed in a lovely little Glamping Pod on the Craigengillan Estate. The beautiful estate lies on the outskirts of Galloway Forest Park which is the largest in the UK. This area is also a Dark Skies Park meaning it is the perfect place for star gazing on a clear night. When we arrived it was very overcast and stargazing wasn’t looking very likely so we lit a fire and cooked dinner.

Having a little peace and quiet after a busy few days was delightful. There is no WIFI at the pods and limited signal so it really lets you switch off. We sat by the fire and talked for a couple of hours and during this time the skies slowly began to clear. By around midnight the skies were totally clear giving us a view of the Milkyway and the September Epsilon Perseids meteor shower.

After a cosy night in the pod we travelled the short distance to Loch Doon. This beautiful loch is surrounded by hills and forests and home to an array of animals. At the southern end of the loch you’ll find the remains of Loch Doon Castle. This castle dates back to the times of Robert the Bruce and it is thought that Robert’s father constructed the castle. The castle was originally located on an island in Loch Doon but was moved, stone by stone, to its current location in 1935 due to rising water levels caused by a hydroelectric scheme.

Our penultimate destination was Crawick Multiverse which sits among a picturesque landscape of rolling hills. Crawick Multiverse is a land art installation which explores the idea that ‘our universe is just one of many.’ The man behind this installation was Charles Jencks. He was commissioned by the Duke of Buccleuch to create an art installation on the grounds of an old open cast coal mine. Even though the theories behind it might seem quite ‘out there’ for a lot of people it is still a lovely place to come and explore. The site has an amphitheatre and has held couple of festivals in recent years.

Our road trip was coming to an end but there was one last place we had to visit, Scotland’s highest village, Wanlockhead. To get to the village we had to travel through the Mennock pass which was absolutely stunning and could rival any highland pass. The hillside was awash with the bonnie purple heather making the views extra beautiful as we wound our way up the road. Wanlockhead lies at the top of the pass at an elevation of 467 meters, which is around 60 meters higher than Britain highest train station on Rannoch Moor. The village is a former mining town and you can find out more about the history and enter the mines by visiting the Lead Mining Museum located in the village. Sadly, the museum was closed when we passed through but I think it would be an intriguing place to visit.

I hope you enjoyed following me along on my road trip along the SWC300. The route covers so many beautiful and captivating areas and I couldn’t recommend it enough if you are looking to get away from the crowds and enjoy what nature has to offer.

Nature and photography, the perfect combination for health and wellbeing

The combination of photography and nature have alway been a winning therapy for me. Being outside in the Scottish wilderness, capturing moments in time with my camera brings me joy, distraction and a sense of satisfaction amongst other glorious emotions. I’m currently in the process of creating landscape photography retreats to share my love of photography and nature with others. Not only will participants learn and hone their photography skills but also experience the exhilaration of exploring new places and witnessing beautiful scenes. They’ll fill their lungs with fresh Scottish air and hopefully spot some wildlife. All of which are fantastic for our mental and physical health.

There are many theories which address the relationship between health, wellbeing and nature but I find the Attention Restoration Theory by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan the most engaging. As with all scientific theories it’s pretty complicated but put simply the theory suggests that mental wellbeing can be hampered by direct attention and improved by indirect attention. Direct attention refers to everyday life and tasks that we are forced to do which can cause us stress and mental fatigue. For example tasks at work, general stressful events in daily life or trying to write an intellectual blog when your articulation and intelligence are questionable.. I’m joking.. sort of. Indirect attention refers to when our brain easily and naturally focuses on something like a spectacular sunset, a pretty flower or anything fluffy and cute. During this time our brain restores and recharges resulting in us feeling happier and less stressed. Creative processes, like photography, have been proven to have the same effect on the brain. I’ve often heard that a creative activity helps the brain flow better which I imagine refers back to indirect attention and again soothes the brain.

I experienced the benefits of indirect attention just the other day. All day I had been undertaking laborious tasks and on top of that my boyfriend was heading back to work at sea for two weeks. Overall I was feeling pretty stressed and down. At around 5.30pm I happened to glance out the window and discover the sky to the north was bright pink and a rainbow was developing. I grabbed the camera and legged it out the house, I then proceeded to tear about Tobermory like an absolute lunatic trying to find the best composition. I got the shot and the rainbow which developed was the most beautiful I’d ever seen. I was buzzing, the anxiety was diminished and on top of that I felt a sense of achievement from capturing that moment and privilege of witnessing such a sight.

Tobermory Bay

Tobermory Bay

Encountering wildlife is another great way to get the endorphins flowing. Otters are the holy grail for me but honestly any wildlife will create a wonderful emotional response, I don’t even need to capture the animal with my camera, just watching helps me feel better. This feeling is wonderfully summed up in an essay called, Wildlife tourism: The intangible, psychological benefits of human-wildlife encounters.Nature’s design, performance and immense biodiversity initiate an emotional response of awe, wonder and privilege… There is time to stand and stare, and contemplate…whereby participants are totally absorbed in the spectacle.’ I can completely relate to this, I’ve lost track of the amount of times I’ve been lying face down on soggy seaweed in the pouring rain and not giving a damn about the conditions while watching otters. 90% of the time I’ve not captured the shot I was looking for but it didn’t matter as I was completely absorbed in the spectacle.

Dinner time

Dinner time

And you don’t have to be in the wilderness, climbing hills and watching otters to experience the benefits of nature and photography. At this time of year the city parks are bursting with colour. Beds of yellow daffodils, a colour associated with energy levels, happiness and mental activity, are probably more plentiful in the city than in the country. Then late April and May bring the sweet smelling seas of bluebells. As well as being pretty, flowers are great fun to photograph and a great way to play around with aperture and depth of field.

Bluebell wood

Bluebell wood

However, if you can get into the wilderness the advantages are outstanding. Climbing, even a small hill, to watch and capture a sunset is a feeling I can’t quite put into words.

Winter rays.jpg

In my photography retreats I hope to encompass everything I’ve talked about in this blog. I want to take you on an adventure in my favourite parts of Scotland and help you to capture beautiful moments along with helping you to relax and reap the benefits of connecting with nature. We’ll walk, talk, explore and even try a bit of wild swimming if you fancy it. Everything will be very relaxed and we’ll just go with the natural flow of each day. I’m creating these retreats as I want to share something, that has basically been a life saver for me, with others. But don’t just take my word for it, there is so much science supporting the health benefits of nature and creative processes. I would highly recommend reading the Attention Restoration Theory.

Everything is still in the planning stage at the moment and obviously Covid dependant but I hope to have everything finalised in the next couple of months. I’ve secured a couple of beautiful venues already which is really exciting. For more information or to express any interest please get in touch via my contact page.



Wildlife of Argyll

I often discuss the beauty and history of Argyll but I don’t often touch upon the diverse wildlife that this part of Scotland has to offer which is why I specifically asked if I could have a wildlife tour while on the ‘Heart and Soul of Scotland’ campaign with Wild About Argyll. I do regularly see wildlife on my travels around Argyll and the rest of Scotland but I wanted a better insight on how to spot wildlife and to learn more about the species which we share the land with. If you have read my previous blog you’ll have seen the first thing I did on this trip was a wildlife tour of Mull with Wild about Mull. My guide, Bryan shared his vast amount of knowledge and offered tips which then helped me spot wildlife on the rest of my trip.

OTTERS

As a wee girl I read Otter in the Outhouse by Lucy Daniels and since then otters have been my favourite Scottish species. I just love how playful they are and I think their illusiveness just adds to their appeal. I’ve seen a couple over the years but usually from a distance so when Bryan asked what I wanted to see the most my answer was of course otters. We spent about two hours scanning the waters on both sides of Loch Scidain before Bryan finally spotted a mother and cub. Spending two hour of fruitless searching may sound frustrating and boring but it was anything but. I found it really exciting, I was constantly alert never knowing when something might appear and Bryan kept assuring me I would see something. He said he’s never had a disappointed customer so that kept me feeling optimistic. Listening to Bryan was also fascinating, he had so much knowledge and knew the name of every bird, butterfly and plant we passed or I asked about. He also shared tips on spotting otters which helped me and hopefully will help you too.

10 otter spotting tips!

  1. Be patient, they will appear at some point.

  2. It’s always worth looking, you often read they are best seen at dawn/dusk on a low tide but they can be seen at anytime.

  3. Look out for slimy green patches on rocks, this is a good indication that there are otters in the area. They mark there territory by spraying which leaves slime on the rocks.

  4. If you are driving along travel around 10mph, any faster and you will miss them. (just remember to be courteous to other road users and use passing places)

  5. If there are ducks, geese etc close to the shore line the chances are you won’t find otters around the immediate area as these birds view otters as a threat.

  6. Look out for fresh water burns running into the sea, otters need fresh water to wash their fur of salt to keep it as an effective insulator.

  7. If walking along the shore line look out for remains of crabs and other shells this will give an indication if otters are in the area as this is what they feed on.

  8. Stay down wind so the otters won’t smell you.

  9. Try to conceal yourself if possible, the otter will probably see you before you see them and if you’re standing tall on the beach you’re going to stand out like a sore thumb.

  10. Finally stay as quiet as possible and RESPECT THE OTTER. Don’t get too close or so anything that may frighten the animal.

Thanks to Bryan’s tips I spotted more otters as I travelled down towards Fionnphort, I quietly watched them for about 40 minutes. The mother was well aware I was there but because I was quiet, moved slowly and kept my distance she didn’t mind.

That otter experience was fantastic but last winter I also had an amazing otter experience on Mull, this time on the shores of Loch Na Keal. My boyfriend and I had been driving around the island for hours looking for otters and were about to give up when I spotted a family running along the shore. There is a video of that sighting below..


SEALS

Seals are probably the animal I see most often when travelling around Argyll and I probably just take them for granted but if you don’t live around the coast I can imagine seeing a seal is quite exciting. Seals are also connected with many Scottish myths and legends including that of the Selkies. Selkies look like seals when in the sea then undergo magical metamorphosis when leaving the water to become a beautiful human when on land or so the legend goes.

On my travels I saw both Common and Grey seals, Scotland holds such a large percentage of the UK’s population of seals with 83% and 90% respectively. You’ll often find them lounging about on rocks near the shoreline and bobbing about in the shallows. On my trip I spotted them in many places including Carsaig on Mull, the Craignure ferry terminal, the Kilberry loop between Tarbert and Lochgilphead, Southend in Kintyre and on Loch Fyne.

DEER

Like seals deer are as common as muck throughout Argyll and the rest of Scotland with 4 species found here, the mighty Red Deer, Roe Deer, Sika Deer and Fallow Deer. There are thought to be up to 750,000 of them. So as you can imagine spotting them is not difficult. While travelling around I spotted them on the shores of Loch Scridain while out with Bryan, and on the hills of Mull. I also see them regularly close to the road in Kilmartin Glen which can be a little worrying at times. I also spotted ones when driving around Kintyre and on The Rest and be Thankful. The photographs below were taken on Mull and I didn't even have to get out the car to take the pictures. Deer are quite a good animal to go looking for if you are not very adventurous but want to see wildlife or if you have mobility issues and can’t walk far as you often see them close to the road.

But please DO NOT EVER FEED THE DEER CHOCOLATE BISCUITS, CRISPS OR ANY OTHER HUMAN FOOD! This type of food is so bad for the deer. Feeding deer the wrong food can cause a condition called acute Acidosis which is like IBS in humans but this condition can be fatal. Deer can’t digest high carb food leading to heart breaking stories of deer dying because they cannot digest the food. They effectively starve to death even though their stomachs are full. So please, if you are lucky enough for deer to come close to you and you feel the needs to feed them just pick up some grass and heather, their natural sources of nutrition.

RED SQUIRRELS

Argyll is one of the last remaining places in Britain that is purely dominated by red squirrels, there is not a single grey in the whole county which is great as grey squirrels are a serious threat to their smaller red cousins. Argyll has a really healthy population of these cheeky wee characters but unlike the deer they are a little more tricky to spot. I have seen them when wandering through the forests but it is a rarity. For this reason if I want to photograph red squirrels I often head to gardens like Crarae, Arduaine and Benmore as they all have feeding areas which the squirrels frequent plus squirrels living in these gardens are much more used to humans. I just love watching them scurrying around and nibbling at their food, they are probably the cutest of Scotland’s animals. The pictures below were taken in Benmore Garden’s near Dunoon. The one on the right obviously had a bad itch and the one on the left was a fierce wee beggar, no one was allowed anywhere near his spot or his collection of nuts.

BIRDS

Argyll has such a diverse variety of birds, you’ll find everything from Herons to Oyster Catchers, Jays to Blue Tits and even Kingfishers and Owls but my favourites have to be the big birds of prey, especially Eagles! I often see Buzzards flying around from my window but I’m not lucky enough to see eagles from my house. For Eagles the best place to head is Mull, I’ve never been to Mull and not seen an eagle. You get both White Tailed and Golden on the island and when I visited I saw both in Glen More but unfortunately they were a bit far away for decent pictures. Below is a picture of a White Tailed Eagle from a previous trip and a photo from the location I saw the Golden Eagle, at this point it had just disappeared into the cloud. When I spotted the eagle it was sitting high on a mountain ridge over looking its nest before taking off and soaring high into the clouds.

On my trip I also saw Buzzards, Ravens and Oysters Catchers pictured below.And hundreds of Herons which I never actually look any pictures of as they are so common.

Looking back now I was really fortunate to see all that wildlife, especially since I was moving around quite a bit and wildlife watching often requires a lot of waiting around and patience, This is only a small selection of wildlife you can see around the land and sea of Argyll. Over the years I’ve also seen foxes, badgers, snakes, stoats and even a sighting of a rare Wildcat. While crossing on the ferries to the islands I’ve been lucky enough to see Dolphins, Porpoises, Basking Sharks and even Killer Whales!

International Women's Day

Now I’d like to start out by saying that I am a feminist in the original sense of the word. The Oxford dictionary defines feminism as ‘The advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.’ I am 100% in support of this, equality between men and women is of paramount importance to me and I believe women are capable of doing anything they set their minds too. However, I class International Women’s Day the way I class Valentines Day; an absolute load of cac! Why do we need a special day to celebrate women? Shouldn’t we be celebrating women’s achievements everyday and show support to the amazing women in our life? Social media is awash with people gushing about the women in their lives and although I have seen some truly inspirational posts the majority of posts are simply people jumping on the bandwagon with gimmicky posts which I personally believe does nothing for feminism, like a lot of modern, feminism it demeans the cause.

As a female landscape photographer I’m in the minority in my field, reports suggest that as little as 15% of professional photographers are women. I’ve seen so many people (of both sexes) up in arms about this but maybe it could simply be that more men want to be photographers than women? Or heaven forbidden the thought that men are taking better photos than their female counterparts! I can hear the gasps of Nazi feminists everywhere! In all seriousness I don’t believe that men are better photographers than women but I do believe there are simply more men interested in photography, particularly landscape photography, than women and that’s ok. I cannot comment on the industry as a whole but I have a pretty good insight into the ‘gender gap’ of photographers on Instagram. Yes, the majority of the big players in landscape photography and the outdoors in general are male on Instagram. Men totally outnumber women, no one can deny that but I do genuinely believe it’s because there are simply more men pursuing a career/ focusing their Instagram account on landscape photography and the outdoors. On the whole women dominate the beauty industry and the majority of young girls create Instagram accounts focusing on hair, beauty, clothes skincare etc, not photography and the outdoors. And there is nothing wrong with that, it’s fantastic to see young girls creating incredible make up looks and I am so grateful to the women who research the science of skin care to share it with us all. Feminism is all about doing whatever you want to do and women creating success for themselves though their passion, whatever that passion may be is both inspiring and empowering.

Now there are of course still sexist morons out there who belittle women and believe there are the weaker sex. Last year I was out on my own taking photographs , I bumped into a group of men who told me I shouldn’t be out in the wilds on my own and that I should have a man to look after me. I was absolutely fuming, how dare they suggest that I needed someone to look after me simply because I was a woman when in the likelihood I could navigate and ascend the surrounding mountains a hell of a lot quicker than they could. But thankfully men like this are in the smallest of minorities in the western world. There are women who utter equally ridiculous and belittling statements. Sticking with landscape photography I’ve seen numerous women complain about not enough women in photography and get their knickers in a twist because there’s more men are hiredas photographic ambassadors, cameras are advertised my male models or social media has the audacity to have more gifs with men holding a camera than women! As I mentioned before more men a pursuing landscape photography careers on Instagram and why does it matter if more men are seen holding cameras? Are these women trying to say that this will prevent women getting into photography? If this is true I find this a total contradiction and implies women will only have the urge to pick up a camera if they see other women doing it, as a woman I find this totally insulting. All in all I actually find it quite beneficial to be in the minority of landscape photographer as it makes me stand out which can only be a good thing.

Many of you may disagree with what I’ve written and thats fine, I’d actually like to hear your thoughts. Do you think IWD is a gimmick or do you genuinely feel empowered today? Equality and women’s rights have come a long way since our grandmothers generation and if we compare Scotland to other places in the world women in the UK live in paradise. However there is still a long way to go in some areas. I truly believe it’s far more important to concentrate on real issues rather than having gimmicky days and getting in an uproar over fickle things like a larger amount of men in photography adverts.

Legends of Argyll

It’s the landscape of Argyll that is the main inspiration for my photography but the myths and legends are also hugely influential. I often say that I want my pictures to look magical, like a land from a fairytale. Part of that comes from Argyll’s physical beauty but I also want to capture the spirit I believe this land has in my photographs. I grew up hearing stories of many local myths and legends and was always so intrigued and fascinated by them, particularly when I could visit the places connected with the legends. When I photograph places connected with old stories I like to take a moment and recount the story and think about all the people who may have stood in that place hundreds, if not thousands of years before me. So I thought I would share some of my favourite tales from Argyll with you.

Dunadd Hill

Many people will be familiar with the legend of Dunadd fort in Kilmartin Glen. The story goes that this was the birth place of Scotland, and the place where the first Kings of Scotland were crowned. At the top of the fort lies a rock with an impression of a footprint, it is said that this is where the Kings placed their foot when they were inaugurated. There is a lot of evidence that backs up this legend but there are also whispers that this unassuming hill also has connections with the Stone of Destiny as well as King Arthur which may be a wee bit more imaginative.

More fanciful yet is the ancient story that tells the imprint on the rock was made by Oisín, son of the giant Fingal. The Irish Warrior had been hunting on the hills above Loch Fyne when he was attacked by some wild animal, to get away he took a giant leap to Rhudle Hill and then landed heavily on Dunadd Hill creating the indent.

Another slightly more modern legend tells that this is where fairy people lived and the footprint is the fairies footprint, These fairies were called Daoine Síth in Gaelic. Scotland was once a very superstitious land and people believed that these fairies would steal human babies and replace the human baby with one of their own, these ‘replacement’ babies were known as changelings. Daoine Síth were given the blame when a child was mentally disabled, the parents believed that the Daoine Síth had stolen their baby and left a changeling in the babies place. This is where the phrase ‘away with the fairies’ comes from.

The footprint of the Kings.

The Ballymeanoch Feast

This next legend comes from another area of Kilmartin Glen around two miles north of Dunadd hill. Ballymeanoch is probably best known for the impressive standing stones which have stood for over 4000 years. They are thought to be connected with the mid winter solstice but there is a much darker tale connected with Ballymeanoch.

The tale tells of Lady Ballymeanoch, a frightfully unpleasant women who was always causing problems and fighting with her neighbours. One day, very uncharacteristically she invited all her neighbours to a giant banquet in her barn as an act of peace supposedly to reconcile their differences. At the feast all her guest were sat in-between her family members and close friends. A giant haggis was brought to the table, as she went to cut open the haggis with her dirk she uttered the words ‘let my friends do as I do’ at that moment all her followers pulled out their dirks and stabbed to death the guest beside them. Forty of her enemies were killed in the barn, only one managed to escape and he ran across the fields shouting ‘Och on Och, Och on Och.’ He was eventually caught and the place where he is said to have fallen is to this day called Killinochonoch.

Ballymeanoch Stones.

The Mull Witches

I love Mull and its absolutely full of legends, the one about the Spanish Galleon that is said to lie covered in the mud at the bottom of Tobermory bay is a good one. There are a few variations of this legend but I think this one is the best.

During the 16th century the King of Spains daughter, Princess Viola had a dream one night about the most handsome man she had ever seen. When she awakened the next morning she told her father she had to find this man. The King granted her request and prepared her a ship to travel the world to find this handsome man. After years of searching and with faith she would find this man slowly vanishing she landed in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. On arrival she finally found the man from her dream. He was a man of nobility, a MacLean from Duart and gladly ‘entertained’ this beautiful Spanish Princess. They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and this was certainly the case when MacLean’s wife found out about his encounter with the Spanish Princess. She hired a lowlander called Smollett to kill the Princess, as instructed he blew up the Spanish ship with the Princess on board. On hearing about the death of his daughter the King of Spain set about planning his revenge, he sent a galleon off to Mull laden with a crew who were ordered to cut the right breast off every woman on the island. Lady Duart got wind of this and called upon Doideag, the Mull witch for help. Doideag then called on her sisters, Ladhrag Thiristeach and Ghlaisrig Ileach to help her. Together the brewed a terrible storm with the intention that it would destroy the Spanish Galleon but by this time the Galleon had reached the sheltered waters of Tobermory bay and escaped unscathed. The witches next step to save the women of Mull was to call upon Gormshúil Mhór a Lochaber, an incredibly power woman for help. On her arrival Gormshúil Mhór gathered all the cats she could find on the island and ordered them to attack and kill the men on the Spanish Galleon. She did this by chanting a secret spell. The army of cats carried out her commands by mauled the crew of the Galleon to death and then clawed through the hull of the ship to sink it to the bottom of Tobermory Bay.

Tobermory

The Scandinavian Prince and the Corryvreckan

The Corryvreckan whirlpool which lies between Jura and Scrarba is the third largest whirlpool in the world so it’s only natural a few legends are connected with this place.

A Scandinavian Prince called Breakan visited the shores of Argyll during the reign of the Lord of Isles, here he fell in love with the Lords daughter and asked for her hand in marriage. Her father said he would give his permission for the marriage but only once the Prince had proved his worth and bravery. The task was to spend three nights anchored on the mighty whirlpool. The Prince bravely accepted this task and set sail back to Norway to find the wisemen who would prepare him for this challenge. The wisemen said he should have three different ropes; one was to be made of hemp, one to be made of wool and one to be made from hair of fair maidens. In order for the maidens hair to hold it had to be from a pure maiden, their purity was the key to keeping the rope strong. The Prince did as instructed by the wise men and returned to the Lord of the Isles to carry out his task. On the first night the hemp rope broke but they stayed afloat, on the second night the woollen rope broke but they managed to survive the seas however on the third night disaster struck, the rope of hair broke in a wild gale and the boat was swamped by massive waves and dragged to the depth of the whirlpool. The Prince was drowned along with his crew but his dog survived and dragged Breakan’s body to shore. The Prince is said to be buried in cave on the island of Jura. The tragedy struck because one of the maidens who donated her hair was not pure!

The Gulf of Corryvreckan

The Duntrune Piper

Dunturne castle is one of my favourite places to photograph and is widely accepted to be the oldest inhabited castles in Scotland. It also has a reputation of being haunted by the a handless piper. This tale is slightly more eerie as during excavations of the castle a handless skeleton was found..

The protagonists in this legend are the Campbells and MacDonalds and it set during The War of the Three Kingdoms where the Campbells and MacDonalds were on opposing sides. One night the the leader of the MacDonalds, a fearsome 6ft 6inch warrior called Sir Alistair MacDonald launched a surprise raid on Duntrune Castle which was held by the Campbell clan. The MacDonalds successfully defeated the Campbells and took the castle as their own. Sir Alistair then left the castle in the hands of a few of his men along with his piper while he attended Royalist meetings. Soon after Sir Alistair’s departure the Campbells launched a counter attack claiming the castle as their own once more. They killed all the MacDonald men apart from the piper who was ordered to play to amuse the Campbell garrison. The Campbells waited patiently for Sir Alistair to return so they could seek their revenge and eventually he did. One day his ship was spotted entering Loch Crinan and the Campbells prepared for their surprise attack. This attack was however thwarted by the MacDonalds piper, he realised the danger his chief was in and took to the castle ramparts to play the warning tune ‘Píobaireachd-dhum-Naomhaid. On hearing this tune the MacDonald chief realised there was danger and turned the ship around heading back to the safety of the Sound of Jura. When the Campbells realised what the piper had done, they cut off his hands and let him bleed to death. It is said that the piper haunts the grounds of the castle, playing his pipes to this very day. Thankfully I haven’t encountered him.. yet!

Storm approaching Duntrune Castle.

The Cailleach Bheur

Some of my favourite Argyll legends are about the Cailleach (an old giant woman who lives in the mountains) so I thought I would end with a couple of stories about her.

She was said to bath in a Loch on Mull to rejuvenate herself, wash her clothes in the Corryvreckan whirlpool and she is even credited with creating the Hebrides, Apparently she returned from Norway with a sack full of rock, this sack split and the rocks came tumbling out landing to create the Western Isles. But I think my favourite legend about the Cailleach is the one about how she accidentally created Loch Awe. The Cailleach kept cattle on the slopes of Ben Cruachan and let them drink from a magical spring on the mountain but this spring could only be uncovered between sunrise and sunset, if left uncovered at night something dreadful would happen. The Cailleach was alway very careful to cover the spring before bed each night but one night she was so tired she fell asleep before recovering the spring. She was awakened during the night to a torrent of water thundering down the mountain flooding the glen below. The flood water from the spring stayed in the glen and Loch Awe was formed, The legend goes that she was in such despair at what had happened she turned to stone, a stone that still sits among the other boulders in the Pass of Brander.

Misty morning on Loch Awe

I hope you’ve enjoyed these mystical stories of Argyll, there are so many to choose from but I think these are my favourites. I’d love to hear if you have any legends, not only of Argyll but the whole of Scotland.