Lochan, Glen Isle, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
This morning in Dumfries I was told to “Go doon the Vennel”. If I hadn’t been asking for directions, I’d have been sure it was a special insult reserved for Sasanach (A Scottish term for “Englishman” with mildly derogatory undertones) backpackers.
Oak leaves, Glen Isle, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
My ultralight backpack is not designed for the loads I need to carry to tackle this section: winter camping gear plus four days of food so my back and shoulders ache after just a few hours. I’m not concerned though as I’m utterly engrossed by saturated colours of the wild winter landscape and see my first red squirrel and have regular encounters with groups of Roe deer.
Swing, Glen Isle, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Castle Hill from Glen Isle, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Vee, Glen Isle, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
At Glen Isle everything is covered in thick moss, the standing trees, the dead trees and the path itself. The moss, and my beard, drips from the fine mist densely hanging in the air.
Castlehill Point from Almorness Point, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Mossy limbs, Almorness Point, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Underfoot, Almorness Point, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Bengairn and Torr Point from Almorness Point, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Auchencairn Bay, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Orchardton Tower, a tower house built in the late 15th century, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Near Orchardton Tower I meet a tweed-clad game keeper doing stretching exercises against a gate. “It’s important to keep moving at my age” he tells me. On enquiring where I’ve come from, he tells me he used to camp at White Port beach as a boy,
Orchardton Tower, a tower house built in the late 15th century, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Orchardton Tower interior, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
On approaching Orchardton Tower I assumed it would be closed, being remote and off-season, but the door was open, so I could ascend the damp five hundred-year-old spiral staircase to view the silent landscape.
Entrance to the vaulted cellar, Orchardton Tower, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Window nook, Orchardton Tower, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
Lunch break at White Port beach. There was nobody around, the prints on the sand are from sheep!
Taking a breather at Almorness Point.
Sheltering the tent from the wind at Torr Point.
Decamped at Torr Point.
wonderful work as ever – you had some hard days through here. But captured the magic as always.
Thanks. It’s deceptively remote as you well know. How are the snow levels now?
Snow down by the coast is still 6cm and inland much more. Less than on the east coast though. It was -6 here last night so would be quite a test for you.
Ah, I wish I was up there to experience that. Stay safe on the bikes!
Superb. Your “Mossy Limbs” is the best photo on coppicing I have ever seen.
It must be coppiced mustn’t it, for some reason that didn’t occur to me
I’m amazed at the solidity of such structures as the Orchardton Tower. The grouting work must have been a pain! Lovely photos Quintin. Brrrr!!
Yes, they have survived amazingly well. Those walls must be a couple of metres thick in places
Great work – lovely scenery – why didn’t you capture the stretching game keeper? Good luck in the snow!
Thank you. I like to feel a real rapport to make a portrait and on this occasion, I was happy to just have a conversation. Also on a broader level, I feel The Perimeter, and my prime photographic fascination is about documentation of place.
Yes you are right, the ‘feeling’ needs to be right before you can think of taking a photo of someone on their own patch. It struck a cord with me when you mentioned Place – I have recently completed a project for an exhibition called West Wight People and Place – all about trying to capture a sense of place through photographing people in their own locality. Some of the images can be seen here-https://flic.kr/s/aHskvrtwff
Great work, that must have been an enjoyable project
The mossy limbs picture is so colorful! The ground almost looks purple!
it’s surprising how an overcast day can give more saturated colours than a sunny one
You poetic artistry is recognised:
The caption for “Vee” was picked up in a collection of ‘Found Haiku:’
“At Glen Isle everything is covered in thick moss,
The standing trees, the dead trees and the path itself.
The moss, and my beard, drips from the fine mist
Densely hanging in the air.”
http://wordcount-richmonde.blogspot.com/2018/03
“Found Haiku 19”
Right Quintin, let’s clear up this ‘S’ word that gets everybody’s knickers in a twist.
‘Sasunn’ is simply the Gaelic for England, or literally, the Lowlands. A ‘Sasunnach’ therefore is an Englishman or even a Lowlander like myself. It probably derives from the same root as ‘Saxon’.
Hi John, thanks, didn’t know that. Still, sound like an expletive to me with those venomous S sounds!
P.S. can’t edit my comment but I’ve just noticed you’re back posting. Great stuff!
Cheers!