It is always with great anticipation that I look forward to visiting the Highlands of Scotland; my favourite part of the UK. The variety of landscape with the mountains, lochs and coastline near where we stay make great opportunities for photography and wildlife viewing.
The weather however can often be wet! With strong winds and heavy rain forecast later this week, the indication that it would be a sunny day today meant that the opportunity had to be taken to get into the wilderness with the camera.
The day started partly cloudy with unusual cloud formations as the sun was rising:
Having picked up my son from his overnight train journey here after returning from Colombia we headed off to Loch Morie.
The photo below was taken soon after leaving the main road and heading north up a lane for the final few miles towards the loch:
Arriving at the loch I was hoping for some decent reflections and was not disappointed!
Initially the sun was obscured by cloud casting a grey shadow over the loch, but waiting patiently paid off with excellent changing light conditions that lit up the loch and mountainside:
The low winter sun with almost no wind made perfect conditions for admiring the beauty of this vista.
This next shot is taken as we walked back to the car along the River Averon.
Before heading back to our accommodation we stopped off at Chanonry Point hoping to see Dolphins, but the tide was fully up and so it wasn't good timing. Instead I braced the very cold windy conditions (such a contrast to the loch) to take a few photos of Turnstone and Dunlin that were waiting for the lower tide!
This rounded off an excellent trip. After returning to where we were staying in the last light of day, I put out the bird feeders I had brought and peanut butter in the hope of attracting the resident Pine Martins and Red Squirrels later in the week. Here's hoping!