Grey Mare's Tail

I did some hill walking recently. Went down to Moffat in Dumfrieshire and walked the route up the side of the Grey Mare's Tail to Loch Skeen.

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) manages the site. The remote wild mountainous landscape above the waterfall, coupled with its outstanding botanical richness make the reserve one of Scotland's upland jewels

The Grey Mare's Tail is a "hanging valley" waterfall: the valley was scoured out by glaciers during the last ice age leaving the outlet burn from Loch Skeen falling over 200 feet down a sheer and dangerous cliff face.You can climb up the path at the side of the waterfall and behind it to the source, Loch Skeen.

Sir Walter Scott wrote in Marmion:

Where deep deep down, and far within
Toils with the rocks the roaring linn;
Then issuing forth one foamy wave,

And wheeling round the giant's grave

White as the snowy charger's tail

Drives down the pass of Moffatdale

Political Correctness ....?

Weather has been rubbish recently, so I thought I would revisit the holiday photos. This test your strength machine was in the town square at Santa Ponza, Majorca.

In case this photo does not reproduce too well, I originally chose this image because of the strength indicators being so politically incorrect: Superman;Strong;Normal and Gay.

It was only after I printed it that I realised the instructions might have lost a bit in the translation:

I quote:

1. Insert money.

2.Select strength level 1 2 3 4.

3. Arm activates after Dong.

I rest my case hmmmmm!

Driving rain

I seem to be spending a large part of my time in the car at the moment - all of it apparently in the pouring rain. Still, everything's a photographic opportunity, so I thought I would post this one.

I love the way the rain on the windscreen has created a near abstract out of the view. It's probably just me but I quite like sitting in the car when it is really wet ( not driving - just sitting looking out). Been looking for a new project - maybe this is it ( hopefully this will jinx the weather now & we will have sun until Christmas)!

Tornado in Majorca

Recently back from the October break in Santa Ponza, Majorca. We had a storm hit the island on Wednesday 17th. I took these shots (amongst others) from the balcony of our 6th floor hotel room. I was originally out there in a futile attempt to capture some of the lightning strikes that were going off all over the place, when I saw what looked like a tornado.You can see how it formed behind the headland on one side of our bay, moved across the mouth of the bay and into the next bay. The waterspout, as it was now over the sea, hit the rocks just after this - the whole thing took less than 5 minutes. We had strong winds and torrential rain for most of the afternoon and into the evening.

I guess one's first thought is to cry - global warning, but apparently these are not unkown in this part of the meditteranean.

We had come to Majorca to escape the rain back home in Scotland, but can't really complain as we had this unexpected bonus.