@Fairygirl, lovely pictures as always, glad you're able to make the most of the clear weather. Love seeing collies doing the job they're bred for. I often wonder if Floss would have made the grade, she's always switched on when we're in the hills if sheep are about, hence she's always on lead.
Yes - they're pretty common round there in spring/early summer @GardenerSuze. Arrochar is always good for hearing them - where I was for those earlier hills. The thing that did get picked up at the end of the video though, was the midges Got out yesterday [Thursday] to make the most of the final day of decent weather for the foreseeable. A hill I've done many times, but is always enjoyable - Stuchd an Lochain, in Glen Lyon. Worryingly low levels in Loch an Daimh where you start off. A high start at around 1300 feet, which helps with a breeze
It's a steep shift to get up to the old fenceline, and then to the shoulder, where you get a good glimpse of the Lawers hills
The really low water levels at the other end of the dam, with the hazy Black Mount hills in the distance
The lochan near the summit - it was fine in itself, but the surrounding areas are so dry - especially all the little tributaries from the summit that feed into it, and the normally boggy area [to the right] where the water sits before dropping down to the dam.
Summit view - across to the Lawers hills
The route back - a nice high level walk for most of the way
Plenty of wildlife, en route as well as on/around the hill itself. Glen Lyon is renowned for red squirrels [ it even has signs on the glen road stating red squirrels for ten miles ] and there was a youngster jinking around beside the glen road as I made my way in. A cracking big hare dashing across in front of me on the way back too. This was probably the highlight though - the ring ouzel near the summit. I did a little video as well. I disturbed it's partner just around the same time - I don't know who got the bigger fright, as she was only a few feet in front of me, tucked right in among the rock and surrounding groundcover!
I think this might be a mountain ringlet, but perhaps @wild edges could confirm or correct that? They're infuriating, as they never stay still for long to get a pic. I think this one eventually took pity on me!
I can send you some seeds @wild edges .... it has finished flowering now, but seeds won't be fully ripened just yet. Let me know if you'd like some.
Bee x
I missed this sorry. I'm hoping to source some cuttings through the Sedum Society but no one has got back to me yet so I might take you up on the offer if no one has any . Apparently the seed needs cold weather stratification and they seem to take a while to get going so it might be a long term project.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
@Fairygirl OH tells me it in the thrush family. I am shocked to see how low the water levels are will tell my bro.I do know there is alot of rain coming your way in the next few days hence your visit now. Lets hope it will improve things. Great to see your photos so beautiful. Suze
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Yes - thrush family @GardenerSuze. His partner was very thrush like - or more like a female blackbird really, in colouring, but I only saw her briefly from behind as she shot off at a rate of knots. I felt very guilty! Lovely things. I couldn't really pick up the sound on the video well enough, but that's how it is when you're just trying to quickly catch something before it disappears. I was lucky to get a half decent pic though The water situation is dire for this part of the world - all over Scotland really. It was raining for a fair bit of the morning today, and we had a good bit last week, but nothing like our usual for here. The Black Mount hills border Rannoch Moor, and in one of the pix I took, it looks like a puddle compared to it's usual situation. When you consider that some parts in the north west can have their annual rainfall measured in metres, not just feet, it's really depressing. The River Falloch [An Caisteal] last week was so sparse, that from the ridge it just looked like the access track. Those morons up the road from me will still be putting their bl**dy sprinklers on their lawns though Schools stop on Wednesday so that's when it might start raining in earnest
I should put some pix on the world wide walk thread - I keep forgetting which one's which...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Got out yesterday [Thursday] to make the most of the final day of decent weather for the foreseeable. A hill I've done many times, but is always enjoyable - Stuchd an Lochain, in Glen Lyon.
Worryingly low levels in Loch an Daimh where you start off. A high start at around 1300 feet, which helps with a breeze
It's a steep shift to get up to the old fenceline, and then to the shoulder, where you get a good glimpse of the Lawers hills
The really low water levels at the other end of the dam, with the hazy Black Mount hills in the distance
The lochan near the summit - it was fine in itself, but the surrounding areas are so dry - especially all the little tributaries from the summit that feed into it, and the normally boggy area [to the right] where the water sits before dropping down to the dam.
Summit view - across to the Lawers hills
The route back - a nice high level walk for most of the way
Plenty of wildlife, en route as well as on/around the hill itself. Glen Lyon is renowned for red squirrels [ it even has signs on the glen road stating red squirrels for ten miles
This was probably the highlight though - the ring ouzel near the summit. I did a little video as well. I disturbed it's partner just around the same time - I don't know who got the bigger fright, as she was only a few feet in front of me, tucked right in among the rock and surrounding groundcover!
I think this might be a mountain ringlet, but perhaps @wild edges could confirm or correct that? They're infuriating, as they never stay still for long to get a pic. I think this one eventually took pity on me!
The locals are always nice to see
No hill walk is complete without some sheep...
The little ouzel video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XHlel78vpQ
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The water situation is dire for this part of the world - all over Scotland really. It was raining for a fair bit of the morning today, and we had a good bit last week, but nothing like our usual for here. The Black Mount hills border Rannoch Moor, and in one of the pix I took, it looks like a puddle compared to it's usual situation. When you consider that some parts in the north west can have their annual rainfall measured in metres, not just feet, it's really depressing. The River Falloch [An Caisteal] last week was so sparse, that from the ridge it just looked like the access track.
Those morons up the road from me will still be putting their bl**dy sprinklers on their lawns though
Schools stop on Wednesday so that's when it might start raining in earnest
I should put some pix on the world wide walk thread - I keep forgetting which one's which...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'll give you a nudge when I think the seeds are ripe.
It's a great plant, and has grown quite a lot in the years since I bought it.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime