Saturday 4 April 2020

Great Cumbrae, Arran and Millport. A Gallery: of photos, books, films.

                                               ALL PHOTOS CLICK FULL SCREEN
As I've visited and written several posts on Millport/Great Cumbrae before, I thought I'd approach this one in a different manner. Keeping to a Minimalist style yet hopefully expressing volumes, at least to me, I will link each photo to an appropriate film or book I've seen or read... and enjoyed...found interesting... and also to various personal memories/ incidents in the past- a few might remember. An eclectic mix but all classics in their own way.
Anniesland Tower. Glasgow.            Believe Me. J.P. Delaney. Book.
Largs. Early Morning.         Far from the madding crowd. Thomas Hardy. Book. 2015 film.
Largs- Great Cumbrae/ Millport Ferry.         Passengers. 2016 film.
White Crocus.           Perfume. The Story of a Murderer. Patrick Suskind. Book. 2006 film.
Largs. A church gargoyle.           Werewolf. Matthew Pritchard. Book.
Minor back road. Journey over island to Millport. Always a little Further. Alastair Borthwick. Book.
Bute and Mount Stuart (house in photo) from Great Cumbrae. Tanker ship Ramona passing. Dear Frankie. 2004 film.
Raw winter's day over Bute and Arran.        Albatross. 2011 film.
A Rabbit. Wild Garlic Beds.          Jean de Florette. 1986 French Film.
Cathedral of the Isles.  Millport.         Breaking Silence. Linda Castillo. Book.
Cabbage palms and houses. Millport.      Love in a Cold Climate. Nancy Mitford. Book.
 Although predicted the night before to be a sunny day it was in reality, on arrival, a raw, grey one with a cold, intense, close to freezing, fierce wind blowing throughout this visit. Did not feel like spring one bit.
Mid winter. Millport's neglected and largely forgotten Sunken Garden.       This Beautiful Fantastic. 2016 film.

Garrison info board.        Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. 1886 Book .
 Writer Robert Louis Stevenson was a family friend of this famous garden designer and used this unusual name for his Gothic tale of good and evil.
A redshank in close up detail.         A portrait of the wader as a young man.  James Joyce.
Herring Gull and Redshank.         The Seagull. Ann Cleeves. Book.
Arran ridge seen from Millport on Great Cumbrae.        Respiro. 2002 Italian film.
Geese feeding on Millport.       Flightsend. Linda Newbery. Book.
Great Cumbrae interior. A green fertile island, small enough to comfortably walk around in a day.
 On the Island. Tracey Garvis Graves. Book.
The Peaks of Arran. Interior view.      Mythago Wood. Robert Holdstock. Book.
Muddy Cattle.              The Girl From Paris. French Film 2001
Millport's Crocodile rock.           A Monster Calls. Film. 2016
Very glad I'm not up there on the ridge on a day like this. Freezing fingers down here, even at sea level, in comparative shelter, due to the wind strength.         The Agony and the Ecstasy. Irving Stone. Book. Or... No Country For Old Men. Film. Both apt.
Cars arriving on Great Cumbrae before the lock-down started.  If you had to write a song/poem about the new Covid 19 virus and a possible on-off year long disruption to normal everyday existence then this one might fit.                 Covenant- Like Tears in Rain. 2000.
Profound and accurate account.   Lyrically perfect already. The theme tune for the virus. Seeing as how we are on a war footing you need rousing songs. A classic goth anthem to describe year 2020 to future generations.

The small town of Millport on Great Cumbrae.      Chocolat. Joanne Harris. Book.
The hills/moors above Largs.       The Return. 2003 Russian film.
Nardini's Cafe.  Note rafts of eider ducks.     Gifted. Film. 2017.       The End





















8 comments:

Anabel Marsh said...

Great pictures of a lovely wee island. Not sure where Anniesland Tower fits in but it has its own appeal!

Carol said...

It does feel like we're on a war footing! The 'No Country For Old Men' bit made me laugh when I pictured you ;-)

Looks like there's more to see on Cumbrae than just cycling round the island which is all I've done in the past. I thought the painted rock was inland - or are there two? I don't remember it being so near the sea but it was near the road (the one I have a photo of is anyway).

Love the bunny photo - but he's eating all my ramsons!

blueskyscotland said...

Hi Anabel,
started off at Anniesland. Seemed a shame to not use a good photo. Tallest listed building in the country and only A listed Glasgow hi rise apparently. Views from the upper flat windows are amazing.

blueskyscotland said...

Cheers Carol,
I was very glad not to be on that ridge. It's a hard enough traverse across it in good weather without a howling gale and frozen slopes of ice to cope with. Two painted rocks- one on a cliff, the Indian Face, slightly inland and the croc on the rocks at the sea side. At high tide all that's left is the top of the head showing, just like a real croc.
A wide sea of ramsons in this area so no problem.

Kay G. said...

What a fantastic idea, to have a photo and then, a book or film that somehow connects with it. I love it! I need to do the same thing with either song lyrics or Bible scripture, that is what comes into my head the most! Take care of yourself in Scotland!
(And I want to do more research on that sunken garden, I love Robert Louis Stevenson.)

blueskyscotland said...

Cheers Kay.
Watched War for the Planet of the Apes last night on TV and it had a scene lifted straight from the Bible for the ending of the film. I liked it- you would probably not.
But you would like Gifted. Dear Frankie. This Beautiful Fantastic. and The Girl From Paris. All enjoyable films that deserve a wider audience. Easily the equal of Local Hero or Gregory's Girl.
If you are interested in R.L.S. look up "The Wizard of West Bow. Old Edinburgh." as many think this real life case might have inspired Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Andy said...

What a great post and great idea. I may have to steal that for a future post of my own (although it would be song titles/lyrics or film/tv for me, not a big reader of books). I've heard that Great and Little Cumbrae are very fine little islands to explore.

blueskyscotland said...

Cheers Andy,
Arran, Bute, and Great Cumbrae are all worth a visit with a range of good cycling/walking opportunities. When I was writing my own books the last thing I wanted was more reading and eye strain but after I'd finished them and was taking long bus journeys around Scotland it was a good way to pass the time.