Category: Scotland

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The Kelpies at night

North of Falkirk alongside the M9 motorway you’ll struggle to miss seeing The Kelpies. These 30 metre high horse head sculptures depict shape-shifting water spirits. They opened to the public in 2014 so I hadn’t had a chance to see them before. After our dusk adventure to the Falkirk Wheel I wasn’t expecting to get the chance but we made it. They are well worth a visit – huge and impressive. Next time I visit I’d like to get there a little earlier at sunset. The coloured lights cycle through the colours of the rainbow. With the black night sky behind I thought the blue lighting made them stand out the most.

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Kilchurn Castle, Scotland

Standing on a rocky peninsula at the northeastern end of Loch Awe are the ruins of Kilchurn Castle. Seen here from the “panorama viewpoint” off the A819 road to the south of the Loch. It was an overcast day but the sun did come out for this photograph. You can see the tower house battlements and the jetty from this angle. Built in the mid-15th century for the Campbells of Glenorchy. It fell out of use and was in ruins by 1770.

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Falkirk Wheel at dusk

Falkirk Wheel is the coolest boat lift I’ve ever seen . This was my third or fourth time photographing it since it opened in 2002. I’ve been here in the rain and before dawn. This time we went in the early evening at dusk. The rotating boat lift wasn’t operating at the time and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. It is the best photograph I’ve taken of the wheel, even though it was quite cold and windy that evening. Walking back to the car we realised why the area was so deserted. The gates to the carpark were padlocked shut – with only our car inside! After a frantic and embarrassing phone call to a local security company and 30 minutes later we were back out onto the road.

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Loch Lomond

Next to Balloch Pier is a small beach used by the local kayak club. It was from here that I took this dusk photograph. Looking north west up Loch Lomond. The rocks in the foreground were little more than tiny pebbles. Getting the camera as low to the water as I could and using a wide angle lens make them seem bigger than they were. I like the colours and textures in the sky and clouds. Especially the reflection of the sky in the calm waters of the Loch. Less than 50 metres off to the right was the very picturesque Maid of the Loch, a 1953 paddle steamer. The sun was setting behind the ship and so casting it in shadow. I’d have to come back at dawn for the best photo of that.