Lakes, Lochs,Reservoirs,Tarns, Ponds

Another vintage shot, this time from 2011. Demonstrating again that time is no impediment to landscapes and light. Looking South from the Lakeland fell of Latrigg, over the Cumbrian town of Keswick onto Derwent Water. The first Island just right of centre is Derwent Island. To its left seemingly touching the shore is Lord’s Island with Rampsholm Island on its top left corner and almost centre stage of the lake is St Herbert’s Island (naturally :) Latrigg is 368m asl. Essential full screen

I believe I am looking down from just below Loughrigg Fell to Loughrigg Tarn on my left and Elter Water on my right. We can also see Windermere on our top left. I was taken on a car and walk tour to a few high area’s on this day and so the places now are somewhat blurred! If I am completely wrong then please feel free to put me right! Enjoy full screen

Taken at Norman Hill reservoir. This shows a view to the access pier for the freshwater flows. The piers are a frivolous piece of Victorian architecture so common once upon a time. Made to last and last it did! I enjoyed the light here. Enjoy full screen Have a good weekend.

Yesterday, I discovered another new walk around yet another reservoir not too far from me. (12 miles). Scammonden Water is another of our freshwater drinking reservoirs in West Yorkshire. Quite a treat in this cold but almost clear break in the weather for us. A good path makes this an easy four mile walk. It is hard to believe that one of Britain’s busiest motorways (the M62) flies just past the end of the water near the tower. See PiP. The reservoir is 252m above sea level and holds 7.8 billion litres of water. See full screen. Enjoy the day.

On the road to Scommonden Water, and not very far away, we passed a viewpoint down to this empty reservoir in an area known as Nont Sarahs. Apparently it has been drained whilst a valve is being repaired. To my left is a rock escarpment where hang-gliders take off to enjoy the tumbling valley below. See PiP A hangglider view from this very spot: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXjXaMaYpM8 Enjoy the day.

Described as Europe’s “last great wilderness” wholly in the Scottish Highlands. We were exploring around here in 2014 and this was taken on the way back to Durness after a day’s exploration around Oldshoremore and Kinlochbervie. I think the rock might be granite displaying this light pinkish rock in the late sun. This, I am fairly sure, was taken whilst traveling NE along the A838, now part of the famous route 500. Enjoy the day.

The start of a round walk for us that treated me to a number of photos. This wall type is very common to this northern England location. We will drop down to the bottom left before skirting the woods across the water on the right. HWW, enjoy the day

In 1995 we took a holiday in the beautiful Scottish Highland village of Glenelg. On our way to and from there we passed through the area known as Rannock Moor where I took a few snaps of Loch Ba. Here is perhaps the best of those, taken on slide but copied by Kodak to one of their own photo CD's which were quite popular at the time. I have been inspired to share this after seeing an excellent one from the same area by our friend Roger (Grisly): www.ipernity.com/doc/grisleyreg/52349222/in/group/54719 . I am pretty sure that I have a more modern version of this. Maybe that will be shared one day on here too. 'Rannoch Moor is an expanse of around 50 square miles of boggy moorland to the west of Loch Rannoch in Scotland, where it extends from and into westerly Perth and Kinross, northerly Lochaber, and the area of Highland Scotland toward its south-west, northern Argyll and Bute.' Enjoy full screen.

After being reminded of this castle we visited in 2016 by our friend Roger (Grisly) I thought I would take another look through my collection to see if I had others to post. Here is one that I particularly like. Castle Stalker, standing on a small Island in Loch Laich off Loch Linnhe between Oban and Fort William in Scotland. Built around 1320 this is one of Scotland's most scenic castles and indeed historical small castles being held by both the Stewarts and the Campbells. Rogers offering: www.ipernity.com/doc/grisleyreg/52375786 Have a good day.

A dream water feature adorning the Moon Pond of Studley Water Gardens. There is in fact also a Temple of Fame set just behind this above the trees. See next photo for more details and larger view. Enjoy full screen.

This Loch, only a few hundred metres from our holiday cabin in Killin seemed a wild, dark and lonely Loch. It is 14.5 miles (23.4km) long and typically 1 to 1.5 miles wide (1.6-2.4km) and is quite deep at 490ft (150mts) at its deepest. It is overlooked on one side by Ben Lawers with its six sister Monro’s (on our left side here). It's hard to believe that ancient settlers once lived on Loch Tay, inhabiting artificially created islands known as crannogs. We did attempt to drive the length along its wilder southern road (on our right) but bad weather defeated us at ¾ of its length before a hasty retreat. (Narrow single track roads with many blind summits in torrential rain is no fun!) Enjoy full screen

As seen from the waterside. Also called 'Lochan na Lairige Dam' See next photo for full description.

Stood on the Loch’s southern end near the village of Killin. If we could see further (14 miles) we would see the northern end village of Kenmore. Our walk will take us left from here (west) for another half mile or so before returning back to the village via the banks of the River Lochay. Have a good weekend.

. A look at this stark reservoir on the edge of the Ben Lawers mountain range. It is retained by the Lawers Dam as shown in the PiP. At 2km long it is not so very big but has a wild attraction. The water is piped to the Finlarig Power Station (part of the Breadalbeane Hydro-electric power scheme) on the edge of the much larger Loch Tay a few miles lower down the mountain. Best full screen. Enjoy the day.

Sometimes a little effort can bring great rewards. We see such an example here with this bench overlooking Loch Voil from Balquhidder in Stirlingshire. It is described as a small narrow fresh-water loch of 3.5mi (5.6km) with an average depth of 39ft (12m). It lies in the beautiful Balquhidder Glen. Notably, the area is steeped in history, particularly as it relates to the infamous 17th century Scottish outlaw Rob Roy Macgregor. See PiP. HBM, enjoy the week.

Another look at this reservoir and its dam (Lawers Dam), from the far end of its 2km length. Best full screen. Enjoy the day.

A view of this beautiful Loch from its South East shore near Balquhidder in the Scottish Trossachs. The largest nearby peak is ‘Creag nan Speirag’ but Ben More, the highest mountain in this area stands somewhere in the distance too. This was our lunch picnic spot and so a bench yet to come from here too. See PiP Best full screen Enjoy the day.

A wonderful spot for our picnic lunch here on the south eastern shore of Loch Voil. There must be a lot of fish in here as I saw and heard a few large plops in the water nearby. This used to be a very popular resting place near a wonderful wild camping spot but fences, gates and notices made it clear the trespassers were not welcome. That being said –we were pointed to this bench by a local who reminded us that in Scotland there is now a freedom to roam law and unless we were intent on damaging property or land we were perfectly entitled to go to the bench along a well-trodden path. He and his wife sat on the bench regularly. “The Land Reform Act 2003 gives everyone rights of access over land and inland water throughout Scotland, subject to specific exclusions set out in the Act and as long as they behave responsibly. These rights are sometimes referred to as 'freedom to roam'. “ HBM, enjoy the week.