Herb Riddle's photos

A ride along this remote Loch in the Trossachs is without doubt a treat. It is relatively small at just 2.5mile long and a half mile wide. Just two miles further, past the dam, in the direction of this cyclist we come to the small hamlet of Inversnaid on Loch Lomond. And yes, this is the main road -you can just make out the frequent passing places on the right hand side. Enjoy full size and have a great week.

The second Loch near Aberfoyle, this upstream from Loch Ard. It’s a very quiet Loch and feels quite isolated. The shore length is 7.2 km and the loch only has an average depth of 8.8 m. It also has an Island, out of sight to the right here, called Heron island. We are walking along a forestry road and track on the western side looking north. Our walk is the full circuit of Loch Chon and also around a linking small ‘Loch Dhu’ to the south. Enjoy full size.

The views keep on coming as we stroll along this marvellous stretch of the loch. Here we see something special. Loch Lomond National Park Memorial Sculpture: Since 1995, the area around Ben Lomond, including the mountain summit, has been designated as a war memorial, called the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park. The park is dedicated to those who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars and was created out of the former Rowardennan Estate with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund. The Memorial Park was officially opened on Armistice Day in 1997 by the Rt Hon Donald Dewar, then Secretary of State for Scotland and later becoming the first First Minister of Scotland. At the opening ceremony he unveiled a granite sculpture by Doug Cocker, a Scottish artist who had won a competition organized by the Scottish Sculpture Trust to design a permanent monument for the park.

Another local walk to a series of reservoirs brings us into an enchanting are of bluebell woods. We had heard rumours that the bluebells were particularly good here but what we saw was quite incredible, scene upon scene of beautiful blue displays of which this is only a glimpse. Enjoy full screen.

An area that we have now visited on a couple of occasions brings us to this delightful scene. I took dozens of pictures of scenes like this but I cannot share them all. This and the next photo gives you an idea though. Hyacinthoides non-scripta is a bulbous perennial plant found all over Britain. Over the space of a few weeks in spring, from mid-April onwards, bluebells set our woodlands ablaze with their bright blue flowers. The UK is home to more than half the world’s population of bluebells, making it our unofficial national flower. Their presence is a sure sign you are in a very old woodland. (Common bluebells are a protected species in the UK.) Picking the flowers and digging up the bulbs carries a heavy fine.) Enjoy full screen.

As we were returning down the valley to the visitors David Marshall Lodge, we passed our first waterfall of note here. Another without a name but a nice seat to observe it. See linked photo below for the next waterfall somewhat lower in the valley. Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

Taken from near Rowardennan looking towards Ben Vorlich and the Ben Vain range of mountains. This area looks pretty wild around here. Behind me and to the right is the majestic Ben Lomond. Enjoy full screen.

A view of this most beloved of mountains on the banks of Loch Lomond. This was taken from the small pier at Rawadennan on the North Eastern side of this very large loch. Ben Lomond at 974 metres (3195ft) is one of the most familiar of the Munros (mountains over 3000 ft high) in Scotland. It is the most southerly and is also one of the most popular hill-walks in Scotland. The mountain is a central, prominent feature of the landscape of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. Enjoy full size.

A short walk from our holiday cottage in Aberfoyle, we find ourselves at this wonderful humped back footbridge over this infant part of the River Forth on its way to Edinburgh. Of course a nice set of fences accompany it. See PiP for alternative view. The second PiP show my previously posted lichens found on the top of this rail. HFF, enjoy the weekend.

A splendid glimpse of part of this loch from the North Eastern side near Rowadennan. Across can be seen many of the high hills and mountains in the vicinity of Ben Reosc. Of course this lone tree adds to the atmosphere here. Loch Lomond song Enjoy full size.

For our Ipernity friend Andy Rodker who is very sick in hospital with Corona Virus. Get well soon. A quick dip into our garden to capture these Peonies (Paeonia), which are quite splendid this year. The blues flowers are Geranium Johnsons Blue.

We are in the middle of a local walk near our rented cottage here in Aberfoyle and we come across a rather attractive bridge (watch this space). On the railings my wife spots quite an amount of these lichen type growths. They are about 2-4cm high. To me I can well imagine to see some small fairy-like beings to pop from behind one. Enjoy full size.

After having climbed the high valley of The Dukes Pass we return to the David Marshall Lodge for a coffee and cake, but en route we pass two waterfalls. This is the lower one, near the lodge. Unfortunately I cannot find a name for it. Enjoy full size.

We have already seen some photos from this walk but here is the essential seat at the top. This main photo show the view to the back towards the snowed capped ‘Ben Ledi’ range of mountain vistas. In front of us is the view back into the flatter lands below. See PIP. ~ Just to the left, in that view–out of sight, is the popular holiday destination of Aberfoyle. Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

Another view from the water and sandy bottom of the harbour. The main sandstone cliff end is called Cowbar Nab and dominates the bottom of the village. Again we see the Cob & Lobster pub here which has in fact been washed into the sea on four occasions, the last time being in 1953. Another old view of nearly the same scene: www.sutcliffe.gallery/photo_3184675.html#photos_id=3184675 I hope you have enjoyed this visit to Staithes and no doubt we will revisit it again in the future. Enjoy. Herb

Staithes Beck is a very small river indeed as it runs down the steep valley to the harbour mouth here at the picturesque village of Staithes itself. Most of the buildings here are the original ones, some centuries old but as can be plainly seen, quite renewed with new roofs etc. We still see some rope shellfish-traps on top of the old slipway which is testament to the ageless presence of its fishing industry. Enjoy full size and have a great week.

Looking almost like a surfaced submarine, here we see the end of the breakwater wall of Staithes harbour. Pretty windy this day as can be seen here. Essential full screen viewing. Enjoy. Herb

It’s still early here at Staithes and a little fishing is planned for the afternoon on the harbour wall. Before that though this chap must dig up a few lug-worms for his bait. In these days of Brexit exile there are a few out there who feel the need to still carry the flag with some pride! Enjoy. Herb