The highlands of the low lands

They claim, well the tourist information and boards claim that Dumfries and Galloway is the Highlands of the Lowlands, and you can more then see why. Think the Highlands meets the Lake District but with a hell of a lot less tourists mingling around and getting in the way. As a totally undiscovered area it's not the best if your wanting a break filled with museums and inside things to do, it's more of a back to nature, get up into the hills, forests or beaches while being blown and more often then not, drizzled on.

As a landscape it was gorgeous as the pictures show

The view over the Loch towards the site of King Robert's defeat of the British Army in 1307. This is reputed to be the first battle in English history to use guerilla tactics with the Scots throwing stones down the mountain upon the heads of their English rivals. A huge marker stands at the site of the above photograph in the Glentrool Forest Park north of Newton Stuart. [click on the above image for a larger copy]

One of the great things about Scottish Forest Parks, or at least the Galloway version is that they are free to visit. They are a hive of activity for walkers, mountain bikers and tourist alike. Often with a small tourist information place and miles of car drives, view points and footpaths both on and off road.

It is landscapes, environments and wildlife like the above that is influencing my love for photography and getting a "proper" hi-tech camera. Here is for dreaming for the time being.