Stock.xchng is a brilliant free stock photo site.  Great for high quality photos for your presentations like this…

Come to think of it, I have no idea what i’d use this photo for but I now have a strange urge to go pour a gin and tonic!

I was in the Lake District in England yesterday and today.  We had hoped to go climb a hill but the weather early this morning was foul so we ended up wandering around Keswick and taking photos.  All in all, a good day I think!  Here’s my favourite snap.  More on Flickr.

One of my photos made it into the new Edinburgh Schmap !!!  It’s this one of Murrayfield Parish Church.  Another example of the power of TAGGING!

It seems that the authorities think that photographers are terrorists now. The BBC has highlighted a growing number of people being stopped by police for nothing more than taking pictures of buildings or in stations.

The Met even have a poster campaign going.

Who’s next?  Shoppers? Drivers?

Seriously, if someone wants to take a photo of a building they will, and they are hardly likely to get their digital SLR out with a tripod.  Some of the best photos are taken ‘covertly’ on the street to capture people in a natural state rather than posing.  Is that going to be outlawed?

… just wait for a few minutes.

The view from the window last night

The view from the window this morning

Nice eh!  It snowed today.  Lots.  I was preaching at Black Mount church for my dad and the drive was terrible.  Snow all the way.  It looked like this when I was leaving:

And now it’s all gone.  Scotland’s weather.  Brilliant.

I haven’t posted my bag for a while. I’ve got several new things since the last time…

New bag, new laptop, new notebooks, new phone BUT I’ve lost my favourite pen!!!

I had a Parker Urban and I lost it, then found it again last week and now I’ve lost it again! Anyway, I’m sure it will turn up (probably on my desk when I move something).

UPDATE: Found it!!!  It was in my suit pocket… no wonder I couldn’t find it!

So, what’s in your bag?

So now I have my nice new camera… any ideas what I should take photos of?

This is my mug…

We have just spent a weekend in Skye.  Words cannot describe the rugged beauty of the Island, photos don’t come close to capturing the magnificent landscape but I’ll try.

We set off, Avril and I never having been to Skye, with our companion for the trip Harry, Avril’s father.  He’s been a few times but was keen to go back.  Now I know why.

The journey from home takes us past Stirling, through the Trossachs, Glen Coe where the Campbells murdered the MacDonalds as they slept, past Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest peak (still with snow on it) and on through Lochcarron to Skye.  It is simply one of the most amazing journeys in the world.

We drove through Skye and arrived at the Darnbrook Guest House on the Waternish Peninsula to find this view…

We could see all the way out to North Uist!  It is stunning.  We sat at our window and just looked and looked.  Such an awesome view.

Our hosts Caryl and Duncan recommended the Stein Inn for a meal and Skye’s oldest inn didn’t disappoint!  Full and happy, Harry went off to bed while Avril and I ventured along to the end of the peninsula to watch the sunset over Harris.  We joined the other people, all huddled in ourcars as we watched the sun go down over the Hebrides.  It was glorious.

Next morning breakfast was superb (try the haggis!!!) and full to bursting we set off to drive round the Trotternish Peninsula in the North East of Skye.  We passed through Uig and on to Kilmuir Cemetery where Flora MacDonald, the woman who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after the failed Jacobite Rebellion in 1745, is buried.

Just along the coast is Duntlum Castle, once the home of the Lord of the Isles. Next door is the only place we recommend you don’t visit (Duntlum Castle Hotel - YUCK!!!). The rest of the Peninsula is a geological marvel with sheer volcanic cliffs towering over the landscape and waterfalls cascading into the sea.  The Old Man of Storr is stunning.  A quick stop for afternoon tea in Portree and on to our final stop was Dunvegan Castle, home of the Chiefs of the Clan McLeod, before returning to the Stein Inn for another great meal.

Unfortunately we had to come home today but the journey, though long, was breathtaking.  We took the west coast road round Skye passing some serious mountains, the Cuillin Ridge (WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and Balven (WOW!!!!!!!!!!!), and back the way we came.

You must go to Skye at least once in your life, and when you do make sure you drive around and see it, don’t just stay in Portree or Broadford.  Lots of photos at Flickr in the Skye set.

If you are ever in Glasgow I’d recommend a trip to the Burrell Collection housed in Pollock Park.  It is home to over 9,000 items including some truly beautiful Egyptian, Islamic and Chinese artifacts.  It is also home to the guy on the left, ‘The Thinker’ by Rodin and some beautiful stained glass.  I’ve put some more photos in this Flickr set.

We spent a great afternoon wandering around looking at some fabulous things.  And like all of Glasgow’s museums and galleries… admission FREE!

Climb a hill!

Today we got up early and headed off to one of our favourite places in the world, Keswick in the English Lake District.  The weather was great and we climbed most of the way up Catbells, the hill in the picture above.  (That’s not the top you can see!)  Avril wasn’t feeling great so we came back down before the steep rocky section at the top.

The views are stunning, looking over Lake Derwent Water and Keswick.  We’re heading back down next Saturday with the small boys to meet friends for a mountain climbing adventure!