Wind Power

South West Scotland can be a very windy place.
Because of this quite a few of these localised wind turbines have been installed around the area.This one is overlooking Glenluce and Luce Bay.
I would imagine one of these would make a big difference to ones electric bill.
This is an interesting picture simply by the fact that the blades on the wind turbine were whirling round at a fair rate when the picture was taken.
A moment in time frozen.

Miserable Morrison

Last year i used a Van Morrison track as the backing music for a YouTube video about the Bladnoch Distillery.YouTube were instructed to take it off by Van Morrisons record company.It was they said an infringement of their copyright.
I used to be such a Van Morrison fan.
Last year at an open air Scottish night in Kirkcudbright i filmed a local singer performing Van Morrisons Brown Eyed Girl.
YouTube have been instructed that it's a copyright infringement,and have removed the video.
So what's their next step.Find the singer and sue him for singing Brown Eyed Girl.
Am i going to get sued for using this picture.
I await my day in court.

Answers Please ! ?

Saw this sign in Straiton South Ayrshire today.We're still pondering,what do you think?

A wintry scene

Further to the last post,here's one of the photographs on it's own.

It really was a beautiful scene.

The Glentrool Road

Travelled the scenic route back from Girvan today.
These pictures were taken on the Glentrool Road just south of Barr.

The music is the theme tune to 'Dances with Wolves.

Kes

I wonder if this is the same Kestrel that was hanging around the Isle of Whithorn in the Summertime.
He's certainly not shy.
Picture taken Sunday 3rd of March.

Wigtownshire Ramblers-Craignell-Dragon Fly Memorial-Craignell.

Its Saturday March the First 2008 and the walk today has been cut short due to adverse weather conditions.
Again we 're car sharing,and a drive up the Queensway brings us to Clatteringshaws Loch.
Up the western edge of Clatteringshaws to the walk start at Craigencallie.
Eleven intrepid walkers today.

At this point apologies for picture quality.
My camera isn't a cheap one,but is experiencing a few problems.My main problem today was allowing moisture to get into the inner lens,therefore no amount of cleaning the outer lens was going to improve quality.Also for some reason my settings had reverted to the lowest quality setting.
But on with the walk.
The weather forecast wasn't good.

Leaving behind the tarmac,climbing began in a southerly direction up through the forest.

Crossing and recrossing the drystone wall made this look like it might have been designed by the military as an obstacle course.A lot of soggy ground.At the moment the weather isn't too bad.


Looking back down the forest track this rainbow appeared.
Soon we're clear of the forest and beginning to get some nice views.




Time for a moment to take in the vista.

Our first target point is soon into view.
This was the Dragon Fly Memorial erected in the memory of the two crew and two passengers of a De Havilland DH90 which crashed on February 2nd, 1937.

More info on this can be found at
http://www.gallowaygazette.co.uk/galloway-past/Galloway-hills-claim-plane-and.1611769.jp
or
http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk/dragonfly_nx5176.htm
While at the memorial the weather began to worsen,and consideration was given to cutting short the walk at this point,but soon this squall was over and we headed on.

Darnaw peak was given a miss on this occasion and we proceeded with care around the numerous lochans up here.

The group are still mostly upbeat,but i'm finding it a bit tough.I didn't realise i'd joined a group of Gazelles.

The squalls come and go and at one point there was wet snow in with the rain.
When a clear moment comes though the views are beautiful.This must be fantastic on a warm summers day.

Sheltering from the wind a much appreciated break for lunch.

And now we're on the final push for the top of Craignell,where just below the ridge a break is taken until a really heavy spell of wind and rain passes over.

Up now to the top of Craignell,and i'm clicking away without the realisation i'm taking totally unpublishable pictures(am i peed off about that).

These are the salvageable ones,and i feel bad that i'm even uploading them.


Of course i could lie and claim i'm experimenting in soft focus and other such enhancements but i doubt that would wash.Too many knowledgeable people in this group.

Time now to retrace our steps after some jocularity from the walk leader about heading on to the next peak.

Still seeing some beautiful views when the sky clears.

Again the DragonFly Memorial comes back into view.

And pictures are posed for.
Then it's the final descent back through a slippery and slidy forest back to the vehicles.
I'll sleep well tonight.
This was a quite difficult walk for me,but very enjoyable.