Two weeks ago I went on what was to be a photographic road trip to Scotland. First day drove from the South coast to just below Glasgow where I spent the first night
the speedo was showing this, so fairly happy with the mpg.
Set off in sunshine a reasonably pleasant drive alongside Loch Lomond
stopped a couple of times for photo opportunities.
Though the traffic lights for roadworks were a bit of a pain as the Loch Lomond road is single carriageway, so had a few stops, but since I wasn't in a particular hurry it didn't matter as I made my way to Rannoch Moor.
It was sunny as I made my way across , but I bet it can be really bleak acroos there in the depths of winter. My trusty steed, parked up as I took a comfort stop behind an obliging bush.
Great panoramic views
This was my last stop before going through Glen Coe
I fastened my phone to the sun visor and shot some video, it was nice to view it on the TV last night, it gave me the opportunity to really appreciate the scenery which you can't fully do whilst driving. I was
quite pleased the way it came out apart from the Insect that committed suicide on the windscreen.
http://youtu.be/lSrITb3E1D8
Arriving at Fort William I sought out a B&B for the night, this is where it started to go wrong, reversing in the car park of one establishment I didn't see a low railing below the bootline and this was the result!
I finally found somewhere and set off on the road to Mallaig, feeling somewhat annoyed with myself, I drove on to Glenfinnan to photograph the Jacobite steam train. Climbed up the mountainside, now I hadn't
planned on any major hikes so only had my trainers as against my hiking boots, bad move! it was like walking on a sponge, how can somewhere that is so much higher than the surrrounding land be so wet, logic
says the water should have run downhill, leaving the hillside dry!
Scrambling up, my camera which was hung over my shoulder was bouncing around and on arrival at my vantage point I discovered part of the modular lens hood was missing, presumably lost on the ascent, the second
disaster.
Waited patiently for the train, watching some ominous clouds envelop the surrounding mountains, and
wondered if I would get my shots before getting soaked (the wet weather gear was back down in the car).
The train duly arrived although disappointingly the loco was running tender first.
Set off back down and about one third of the way went over on my ankle spraining it rather badly. Managed to get to my feet and wondered if I could make it back down to the car park. The ankle was extremely
painful but since no one was around the choice was a "Night on a Bare Mountain" thank you Mr Mussorgsky, or get down as best I could.
Some time later, I reached the car park, with the bottom of my trousers together with my trainers soaking wet .
At this stage I sat in the car feeling distinctly miserable. They say things go in threes! Limped over to the Cafe and bought a couple of sandwiches and a cup of tea. I felt I needed to get the ankle checked at a hospital as it was now resembling a football. Fort William, the nearest civilisation was
about 12 miles away from Glenfinnan
So prodding the accelerator with my left foot until over 20mph when I could then utilise the cruise control, plus some rally style left foot braking.
Found the local hospital, which had no car park, but thankfully a public one directly opposite even if it did cost £1.50. I was plonked in a wheelchair and after initial examination they felt it needed to be x-
rayed just to make sure it wasn't broken, thankfully it wasn't. They strapped it up and gave me two lots of medication and sent me on my way.
Drove hundred yards from the car park to a Brewers Fayre, where I had something to eat before retiring to the B&B to lick my wounds.
I felt a bit better in the morning so initially continued with my plan and headed towards the Isle of Skye, although the weather wasn't good it was expected to improve later in the day. It was rather murky as I went past the Commando memorial.
On receiving a phone call from my wife and subsequent discussion, I decided that perhaps it wasn't wise to continue with the trip, so decided I would go towards Inverness and then head back down south. I didn't
realise that Loch Ness was quite so long, and I was at Inverness before I finally started heading south again.
A stop at Aviemore for fuel, and comfort stop at Stirling Services by mid afternoon, saw me expecting to arrive home around 10:30pm. Another stop at a Service area on the M40 for a burger and a coffee, which I
deemed might be a good idea to keep me alert. The services at Sutton Scotney had no diesel and I figured I could just make it home, so economy mode employed. The speedo looked like this as I pulled onto my drive.
So all in all not the trip I had envisaged, 1,350 miles to photograph a train! The ankle is till painful two weeks on, and I shall need to go back again to get the photos I missed.
the speedo was showing this, so fairly happy with the mpg.
Set off in sunshine a reasonably pleasant drive alongside Loch Lomond
stopped a couple of times for photo opportunities.
Though the traffic lights for roadworks were a bit of a pain as the Loch Lomond road is single carriageway, so had a few stops, but since I wasn't in a particular hurry it didn't matter as I made my way to Rannoch Moor.
It was sunny as I made my way across , but I bet it can be really bleak acroos there in the depths of winter. My trusty steed, parked up as I took a comfort stop behind an obliging bush.
Great panoramic views
This was my last stop before going through Glen Coe
I fastened my phone to the sun visor and shot some video, it was nice to view it on the TV last night, it gave me the opportunity to really appreciate the scenery which you can't fully do whilst driving. I was
quite pleased the way it came out apart from the Insect that committed suicide on the windscreen.
http://youtu.be/lSrITb3E1D8
Arriving at Fort William I sought out a B&B for the night, this is where it started to go wrong, reversing in the car park of one establishment I didn't see a low railing below the bootline and this was the result!
I finally found somewhere and set off on the road to Mallaig, feeling somewhat annoyed with myself, I drove on to Glenfinnan to photograph the Jacobite steam train. Climbed up the mountainside, now I hadn't
planned on any major hikes so only had my trainers as against my hiking boots, bad move! it was like walking on a sponge, how can somewhere that is so much higher than the surrrounding land be so wet, logic
says the water should have run downhill, leaving the hillside dry!
Scrambling up, my camera which was hung over my shoulder was bouncing around and on arrival at my vantage point I discovered part of the modular lens hood was missing, presumably lost on the ascent, the second
disaster.
Waited patiently for the train, watching some ominous clouds envelop the surrounding mountains, and
wondered if I would get my shots before getting soaked (the wet weather gear was back down in the car).
The train duly arrived although disappointingly the loco was running tender first.
Set off back down and about one third of the way went over on my ankle spraining it rather badly. Managed to get to my feet and wondered if I could make it back down to the car park. The ankle was extremely
painful but since no one was around the choice was a "Night on a Bare Mountain" thank you Mr Mussorgsky, or get down as best I could.
Some time later, I reached the car park, with the bottom of my trousers together with my trainers soaking wet .
At this stage I sat in the car feeling distinctly miserable. They say things go in threes! Limped over to the Cafe and bought a couple of sandwiches and a cup of tea. I felt I needed to get the ankle checked at a hospital as it was now resembling a football. Fort William, the nearest civilisation was
about 12 miles away from Glenfinnan
So prodding the accelerator with my left foot until over 20mph when I could then utilise the cruise control, plus some rally style left foot braking.
Found the local hospital, which had no car park, but thankfully a public one directly opposite even if it did cost £1.50. I was plonked in a wheelchair and after initial examination they felt it needed to be x-
rayed just to make sure it wasn't broken, thankfully it wasn't. They strapped it up and gave me two lots of medication and sent me on my way.
Drove hundred yards from the car park to a Brewers Fayre, where I had something to eat before retiring to the B&B to lick my wounds.
I felt a bit better in the morning so initially continued with my plan and headed towards the Isle of Skye, although the weather wasn't good it was expected to improve later in the day. It was rather murky as I went past the Commando memorial.
On receiving a phone call from my wife and subsequent discussion, I decided that perhaps it wasn't wise to continue with the trip, so decided I would go towards Inverness and then head back down south. I didn't
realise that Loch Ness was quite so long, and I was at Inverness before I finally started heading south again.
A stop at Aviemore for fuel, and comfort stop at Stirling Services by mid afternoon, saw me expecting to arrive home around 10:30pm. Another stop at a Service area on the M40 for a burger and a coffee, which I
deemed might be a good idea to keep me alert. The services at Sutton Scotney had no diesel and I figured I could just make it home, so economy mode employed. The speedo looked like this as I pulled onto my drive.
So all in all not the trip I had envisaged, 1,350 miles to photograph a train! The ankle is till painful two weeks on, and I shall need to go back again to get the photos I missed.
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