ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Monday 8 September 2014

BLOODY MIDGES. (08/09/14)

We are all set to enjoy a week of high pressure weather so I decided to give Onich a miss and drive on to Glencoe. We arrived at lunchtime had a quick chicken sandwich and a tomato and went for a walk up the hill behind the campsite. Midges, there were millions of them. I have not suffered from them too much this year and dislike the spray stuff as it always seems to run and get in my eyes. They were even biting the dogs so we headed back to the van and lit a couple of citronella candles. I saw a grand Red Deer Stag and stupidly swapped lenses. It’s only about three weeks since I cleaned the camera sensor now it is spattered with Midge crap and even has a bit of Midge stuck on it. I’m not going to clean it again for a day or two as I noticed there is more than one in there.

_V0G7206   This was the walk I fancied. It follows a forestry track  from bottom right, skirts the bit they are harvesting and then heads up onto the ridge.

I am getting ahead of myself. I stopped at Glencoe Yacht Club between Ballachulish and Glencoe Village. Ballachulish is easy to say, ignore the ‘C’ and just read it putting two ‘O’s where the ‘U’ is. I suspect I’ve overcomplicated this.

_V0G7200   Loch Leven.

_V0G7198    Loch Leven again. It was so clear I was sure it would rain but it stayed fine.

The following are views from the campsite. I really like this place but it lies on the main route through the Highlands so is best avoided in summer. Were the Caravan and Camping Club to open it in winter I’m sure it would do serious business. There is some of the finest Ice climbing in Scotland here and also lots of long snowy ridge walks. Bear in mind you will be doing the beginning and end of any ten mile walk in the dark. One mile an hour is quick in winter on this terrain. Too many folk are setting out at ten in the morning and causing problems. Some of them die but that is natural selection.

_V0G7202       The Three Sisters. There are four and I just call them Bidean. Were I to write their names down they would warrant a post on their own. The right hand one is the longest she is called Stob Coire Sgreamhach.  I de-midged this picture.

_V0G7204       This is the Pap of Glencoe. It has a Gallic name  Sgorr na Ciche. It lies about due north so if the sky clears then I’ll get some star trails rotating round it. I didn’t de-midge this one.

_V0G7209        This is a shot of a bit of white paper at f14. What a mess and I’m sure the bit I've arrowed is a pair of wings. I think the rest is Midge crap. Bloody Midges and by the time I’d changed lenses the Stag was no longer there. I think he was a thirty pointer but what do I know. I don’t even know if you count the points on one antler or both. No matter, I was too busy getting Midges in the camera to count any of them.

Have fun.

 

30 comments:

  1. They are glorious, Glencoe is magnificent. You have a way of enlightened me, I love Glencoe. The photos are beautiful.

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    1. Bob, it is a very impressive place. Some people find it melancholy but I feel happy here.

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  2. I love too see your pics! I really love all the places you go but I know them just throught books and tv with your pics I'm there I can smell the air! Thanks for sharing Adrian , it is for me an inspirations for painting too...

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    1. Laura, it is a rainy midgy place but has inspired hundreds of artists.

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  3. Super lake photos with reflections. You're in a beautiful area and I'm sure there would be people come to visit in the winter. I wouldn't do a ridge walk here in the winter. You're exposed and there can be vicious winds come over a ridge.

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    1. Red, it is busy in winter. I am too old for mountaineering these days but I still find this area inspiring.

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  4. Stunning scenery there Adrian. The second one is a beauty of a shot.

    I think wherever there are mountains, natural selection kicks in. Happens a lot round Snowdonia too. It's the poor buggers that have to risk their lives to save these stupid people that I feel sorry for.

    Changing lenses will always draw crap on the sensor unfortunately.

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    1. Keith, it's rare for a reflection to disappoint.
      There will always be accidents but too many are down to stupidity.
      The sensor was spotless when i went out. Such is life.

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  5. Hello Adrian!! Lovely pictures. :))

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    1. Hello Ruby, It is great to see you. Are you going to start posting again?

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  6. What a beautiful area you are in right now. Mountains, water, reflections - what more could one ask for?

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    1. Pauline it does take some beating. I just need some good light.

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  7. Pauline took the words right out of my keyboard. You are surrounded by beautiful scenery.

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    1. John, we are just in from our first walk. It is a bit dull and midgy. No deer about this morning but I'll go out for some more wandering later.

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  8. Stunning photos! I'd have them any day over the cloudless blue ones they insist on giving you on postcards!
    Jean

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    1. Jean, I like dramatic skies. It's the clear blue ones that sell though.

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  9. Looks nice and calm and peaceful there Adrian, apart from the midges that is...I wouldn't be able to set foot outside the door, they would eat me alive!
    I like the reflections of the yachts on the water, lovely images.
    Good luck with the cleaning...[;o)

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    1. Trevor they don't really bother me too much but yesterday they were awful.I was breathing the things. It's a similar day today and there are odd ones about but nothing even remotely as many as yesterday.
      I'll clean in the morning they should have all died by then.

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  10. Darn those midges, but it's lovely country, for sure. I try to avoid changing lenses outdoors, not that I have that many: an all-in-one, and 17-50 (on a crop sensor), and a w/a. I do have two primes but don't really use them. I do change lenses outdoors sometimes, but I don't like to.

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    1. John, it usually doesn't matter too much but I wasn't thinking straight.

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  11. This part of Scotland always tugs on my heart strings, again the big reflection images are brilliant but now you've added boat reflection too. Those midges really do get everywhere

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    1. Douglas, it is very grand. I just wish I could take full advantage of it.
      The midges were awful yesterday. I was breathing the damn things.

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  12. No 30-point buck could be as lovely as Loch Leven as seen through la caméra d'Adrian. Superb!

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    1. Bob, I was lucky I was near a layby when I noticed Loch Leven looking as good as I've ever seen it.

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  13. here I have a few words for: super.

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    1. I am hoping for better still tomorrow Bas.

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  14. Well, it's part of Scotland too.

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  15. Montaña y mar, paisajes preciosos buen lugar.
    Buenas noches.
    Un abrazo.

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    1. Laura, es un buen lugar y el clima está ayudando.

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