2011 Walks With My Camera

To be honest this walk seems like a bit of a distant memory now - but due to not always having a car at my disposal and a poorly camera my walks have been few and far between.

Back in February we had a couple of days in Glasgow (the main reason was to see James Blunt at the SECC) but I wanted to something else apart from shopping (including Ikea and Craft World!!) I suggested the Burrell Collection but the response I got wasn't very positive as I don't think the others thought it would be too interesting.

But they had to eat their words.




The museum is set in the grounds of Pollock Country Park and the building itself is stunning. It is named after the collections founder Sir William Burrell and it is one of the greatest collections ever put together by one person with over 8000 items. He has been compared to Indiana Jones although he bought and sold many of his items from traders to increase his collection which was handed over to the city of Glasgow in 1944.

The Thinker by Rodin - and Sam taking an interest in some of the other sculptures.






My favourite part was the Egyptian Collection with artifacts dating right back to 332BC - amazing to see things that old. We were surprised at how interested the boys were with the collection - although Callum was caught taking photos on his phone of the rude bits on some of the sculptures!!






As an added bonus there was a photography exhibition on too - photographs taken by John Thomson of China between 1868 - 1872. The photographs were stunning especially when you think what the photographic equipment must have been like back then.






The Burrell Collection is well worth a visit - along with the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Hopefully the next time we visit Glasgow the Transport Museum will have reopened.

Fortunately this wasn't one of the exhibits!!

2011 Walks With My Camera # 5

I haven't been out for as many walks with my camera this year - I think it is mainly due to now having only one car (we did have one each but one of them sat on the drive for 6 days a week without moving so it seemed a bit pointless - so my little car went to a very nice lady in Aberdeen - and in the process we have reduced both our carbon footprint and expenditure!)

I have been on some local walks but need to catch up blogging them.

One of my favourite places nearby is Findhorn Beach - and very handy to pop down to on a Sunday morning while Callum is at rugby training at nearby Kinloss.

I always feel the need to photograph the boardwalk and the steps leading down to the beach - along with the groyne's.








And because I am on my own I can faff around with the things that I find along the shore line.

























Sometimes there are some more unusual sights.



And the scenery is spectacular - and sometimes I have company!!

2011 Walks With My Camera # 4

I seem to have fallen behind with blogging my walks - but I am still managing to get out and about when the weather allows.

Millbuies is just a short distance from the edge of town where we live and I was lucky enough to have it all to myself the other weekend.

There were no fishing boats out (they are all lined up in the car park) as the lake is still frozen solid in most places.


























I came across this little tree just after the fisherman's hut - someone had decorated it with ribbons. I have no idea why - maybe it a left over from Christmas??
























The walk is a figure of eight with the bridge crossing over in the middle.























Not much is showing any signs of spring - but pretty none the less.



























These are the gun dogs that live in the car park.

2011 Walks With My Camera - # 3

A very chilly walk along Hopeman Beach with Callum - and the crazy boy wanted to stop at the shop on the way down to get an ice cream!!

Callum spent so much time jumping and running in and out of the sea he managed to fill his wellies full of water!







I tried again (not very successfully) to slow down the moving water - still needs some work and a tripod I think.




Walked back along the path that leads to all the colourful beach huts.






And back to the harbour - where Callum let me take some photos of him.

2011 Walks With My Camera - # 2

A chilly walk around the lake at Brodie Castle just outside Forres. Andy wanted dropping off in Nairn so he could cycle home so I decided to stop off at Brodie as it was on my way home. Mine was the only car in the car park when I arrived so I knew there wouldn't be too many people around.

The lake was almost completely frozen over with just a couple of free of ice for all the birds. The ducks were doing a spot of dancing on ice - and the swans blended in nicely with their surroundings.







I tried to take some photos of some of the little birds that were in the branches waiting to hop down to pick up some of the crumbs left behind from the bread that had been left for the ducks. Most of my shots were a bit blurry - and I only realised later on that for some strange reason the image stabilisation on my camera was turned off - doh!!




I also had a mess about with my camera setting in an attempt to slow down the movement of the water - this was about the best of a bad lot - more practice required I think.
























A fallen mossy tree.
























Quite a few of the trees had been cut down since I was last there and for the first time I saw the small family cemetery which is usually hidden away.





I know I have taken a photo of this sign before - but it always makes me smile!




The view from the lake looking back up at the castle.

2011 Walks With My Camera - # 1

I knew I wouldn't be able to stop the 52 walks project from last year so I am going to continue. Some weeks there might be more than one walk - others there might be none. I will just see how it goes and blog about my travels on foot.

In keeping with the Christmas Day walk we have to go out for a walk on New Years Day too - weather permitting. And when we mentioned this to friends on new Years Eve they agreed to come with us - mainly as they would have to get out at some point to walk their dogs.

As they live in Lossiemouth we headed on down to the West beach and walk towards Covesea Lighthouse. What we hadn't taken into account was just how cold it would be down by the sea but we soon realised it wouldn't be a long walk seeing as how we were accompanied by an almost 3 year old toddler and a ten month old baby.

The sky was very moody which made for some good photos down by the sea.

























Callum was in charge of Elizabeth (aka the pink peril!!) She wanted to hold his hand just as long as he helped her look for stones. It was a good job she was wearing an all in one padded suit to keep out the cold - and the wet when she fell over.








Callum and myself on the recently built memorial to the Stotfield Disaster of 25th December 1806- and yes we are doing a pose from Titanic (not that I have seen the film all the way through.)