Wednesday 31 October 2007

Harrison Arch, Blackford, Edinburgh

At the foot of Observatory Road is the triple-arched gateway to Blackford Hill. Built in 1888 in red sandstone to commemorate the work and character of George Harrison Kt, MP, LLD. This is as far as I ventured as it was a very dull day.

Tuesday 30 October 2007

Reflections on a seat

A throwaway click before putting the camera away just caught the sun reflecting off a seat in the middle of nowhere - I must have been desperate!

Monday 29 October 2007

Auchencorth Moss - Sunset


Crepuscular rays at sunset over Auchencorth Moss. Time to put the camera away for the evening.

Clouds - Auchencorth Moss

Proof! The weather in Scotland changes many times a day sometimes - the sunny day below changed to rain and interesting clouds by the evening.

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh

By lunchtime an altogether different light. Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat.

Royal Observatory, Edinburgh


Sandstone carved nameplate.

Royal Observatory, Edinburgh

Interesting arrangement. White dot is the moon.

Royal Observatory, Edinburgh

' Wow' early morning sky!

Royal Observatory, Edinburgh

Early morning colours and what a sky!

Sunday 28 October 2007

Disused lime kiln at Castleton, Midlothian

Lime making was a important industry in Midlothian going back to the 1800's and earlier. The lime was frequently used for agricultural purposes.

Lime kiln, Castleton, Midlothian

Stumbled upon this lime kiln when cruising the by-ways of Midlothian. Now disused, it would have been used to produce quicklime by calcination of limestone.

Autumn woods

Back garden post

Saturday 27 October 2007

By the River North Esk, Penicuik

It was getting dark so 1/6 th second hand held (VR - Yes!). Not much sky here - maybe I should put one in? The bare area in front of the trees was demolished in a major landslip earlier in the year. It is now regenerating slowly.

Back garden

Leaves

Back garden

Lazy leaves

Back garden

As a lazy wandering photographer (it is Saturday) I ventured out into the back garden as the sun came out for a few minutes.

Friday 26 October 2007

Hills south of Peebles

The last post of the day and another grey day - no fair weather photography here!

Woodland grove, Peebles


Field maple leaves, Peebles


Feeding ducks, Peebles


Synchronised feeding by the Duck family

Peebles bridge

Shell fish

Thursday 25 October 2007

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh

This great dollop of a hill in the centre of Edinburgh is the remnant of an ancient Carboniferous volcano 350 million years old. After it became extinct it was buried, uplifted, tilted and then partially eroded to what you see today. The photographer is standing on more volcanic rocks, another 50 million years older from the Devonian period - that's 400 million years old! I think that is enough of the geology lessons for today.

Edinburgh Castle from Blackford Hill

A great site eh! It sits on eroded remains of a volcanic pipe which erupted in the Carboniferous, 350 million years ago and cooled as a circular vertical plug. It was the 5th vent of the nearby Arthur's Seat volcano - now long since extinct, tilted and eroded.

Edinburgh, looking north from Blackford Hill

Its great to walk out at lunchtime from work and get such views! The Forth can be seen behind Edinburgh Castle.

Salisbury Crags, Edinburgh

Today was a bit clearer, not the stunner as promised but not bad! Salisbury Crags (or Craigs) is a Carboniferous sill for the geologists out there.

Autumn colours

I like this one.

Wednesday 24 October 2007

Pentland Hills afire

A great glow to the sky was captured at 1/15 second exposure hand-held. Thank the fiery heavens for VR.

Pentland Hills

The day went into the evening very atmospheric over the local hills. Atmospheric and feezing cold! The man standing beside the tower turned out to be another freezing photographer!

Blackford Hill

Blackford Hill usually has stunning views across Edinburgh - that's what I set out to capture today - it was sunny but unfortunately the views were hazy, so rather than look at haze you will have to wait for another day for the stunner. Scanning around for something else to photograph I saw a crow on the roof of the Observatory. Like wow - I thought you would be impressed!

Red leaves II


More of 'em

Red leaves

Today, I took my trusty Nikon to work, this is what I saw at lunchtime.

Sunday 21 October 2007

Edinburgh, St. Giles Cathedral

The well-known hollow-crown tower

Edinburgh, St. Giles Cathedral

Entrance located off the High Street

Edinburgh, Heart of Midlothian

The Heart of Midlothian - a heart shape set in cobblestones on the High Street near St. Giles Cathedral. It marks the position of the 15th Century Tollbooth that was demolished in 1817. Criminals used to spit on the door of the Tolbooth when passing. Locals still follow this tradition and spit on the heart!

Edinburgh University, Old College dome

Camera just happened to point skywards

Edinburgh, Greyfriars Bobby


One of the most photographed locations in Edinburgh - why has it taken me 20 years to get a picture!?

Saturday 20 October 2007

Yarrow Church, Scottish Borders, weathervane


Load casts at Cow Peel Bridge, near Innerleithen, Scottish Borders

One for the geologists of the world: load casts at the well-known locality - Cow Peel Bridge. Bedding is sub-vertical. Just happened to be passing on the way to the Yarrow Valley.


Cemetery with a view

A great last resting place - St. Mary's Kirkyard, St. Mary's Loch, Scottish Borders

Smart orange sheep

Psychedelic smart sheep snacking

Friday afternoon in the Pentland Hills


No blue skies around here!

Thursday 18 October 2007

Scottish Borders


Sad story


James Thomson
shepherd who perished
in the snowstorm
on December 7th 1882

Little fella in a Borders cemetery

Sculling around in a Borders cemetery at the weekend, I came across this wee guy. A standing skeleton is regarded as 'the personification of death - the King of Terrors'. The dart is a 'weapon of death' in his left hand.
Skulls or Death's Heads are very common on old gravestones, winged skulls are also well known but this is the first winged skeleton I have come across. They are emblems of mortality. ... all really cheerful stuff eh.... but a great carving! I wonder what is in his other hand - buried under the ground.

Friday 12 October 2007

Autumn

These leaves were on the tree last Sunday

Today's sheep in the Pentlands

Uses of stone - scratching sheep