Loch Katrine-Aberfoyle Circuit.

No Alex.He`s still resting his sore paw for a week longer. When I`m on my own I prefer cycling to walking so this is a classic easy day cycle tour on a perfect Sunday at the start of April.
Depending on number of rest stops and speed of bike the full circuit takes between  three to six hours in an area stuffed with history.Three hours is a fast time, most will take four or longer.I was steady paced at four.
Parked in the large main car park beside Loch Katrine pier head in the heart of the Trossachs and paid my £3 meter fee.There are other suitable laybys en route but on this day they were  all empty,secluded and looked easy pickings for any car thieves if a car was left unattended for hours alone.I was happy to pay a little extra for security and peace of mind in a more populated car park.
The tourist season had yet to start and the Sir Walter Scott steamship was tied up getting an engine check and makeover ready for the spring crowds who would soon be descending.

This amazing ferry was launched here in 1899 after being floated up Loch Lomond from  its birthplace in Dumbarton then carried in sections overland by heavy horses to here. Its still a very popular trip and all the ferries based on the loch are packed solid with visitors during the peak summer months.
At the other end of the loch the small hamlet of Stronachlachar mainly exists as a place for the ferry to visit with its own pier,tearoom ,toilets,holiday cottages and large estate house.This was where I was heading now only by road.
Popular with families cycling as its quiet and fairly flat a private water board road snakes round the northern shores passing wooded islands and small bays with views of  high mountains behind.Ben Lomond dominates the scene,its  shaded northern corrie still covered in snow.

It was a brilliant day and I made good time,only a few tidy hill farms reminding me that this was not unpopulated wilderness.Considering tourists have been coming here for hundreds of years it is remarkably unspoiled,and indeed this was the birthplace of Scottish tourism when Sir Walter Scott set his "Lady of the Lake" here in 1810 inspired by  the still recent tales of   Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734).
Almost forgotten now this  poem was very famous in its day and had a  diverse influence on other works of the time.
One of the strangest is that a few lines in it describing the practice of a  raised burning cross sometimes used  as a beacon to alert the clans in times of war was then changed and reborn many years later  in the early silent film " The birth of a nation."  which in turn was then adopted by the Ku Klux Klan in America soon after!
How weird is that. A symbol taken from a romanticised poem  about Scotland considered far too unrealistic,sickly sweet and long winded for modern tastes.Also the highland cross was not of the Latin KKK type but  more probably the St Andrew,s Cross.The same type used in the flag of Scotland which has a claim to be the worlds oldest flag.
Anyway,The lands of the MacGregor`s stretched from here to the edge of  Perthshire covering many different glens but this was where  that  most famous of  clan sons grew up and lived.This present day abode still stands  right on the site where he was born and raised.

Probably a bit grander now than the building he would have known in his day.Both the MacGregors and the neighbouring MacFarlanes across Loch Lomond  in the deep glens around Arrochar had a reputation for being "troublesome".
In other words they were good at stealing cattle, fighting,drinking,quarreling and general mayhem and pillage.All the highland clans did the same of course,forming alliances and blood feuds as the mood took them but these two being nearer the fertile and farm rich lowlands were particularly good at it.They seemed to have had some kind of understanding with each other if only respect for each clans fighting abilities.
 Both clans shared a common graveyard on Inchcailloch on Loch Lomond where the clan chiefs were buried on separate sides of this walled enclosure.Its still very beautiful today and a visit there then a walk round this wooded island is a fantastic day out (ferry or boat hire from Balmaha) as is the nearby island of Inchmurrin.(ferry from Arden area).They also both fought in the Wars of Independance against the English Intruders.
In turbulent times its not always a good idea to be so feared and dreaded by your neighbours however.Neighbouring lands used to pray for cloudy skies as the full moon was known as MacFarlane,s Lantern.A time when  cattle raids and killings usually peaked. For this and other perceived crimes both clans were  hunted , and executed relentlessly over many decades,earning the MacGregors the title "children of the mist "when they were driven into the higher hills by the invading government armies of the day, aided no doubt by other rival clans and powerful landowners.This time around it was not an advantage to be so close to the lowlands as it made them easier to reach.It was even an offence to bear the name MacGregor during this period and the surviving MacFarlanes ended up escaping to Ireland then America. Rob Roy MacGregor lived to a fair age for the times though and died peacefully in his house at nearby Balquidder.There is now a long distance path in his name The Rob Roy Way passing through former clan territory he would have known well as it  runs  from Drymen to Pitlochry.

It was quiet and peaceful now though  in this glen  and a terrific morning.As you go round the far end of the Loch trees fade out ,the ring of  mountains close in and on a dull day it would look grey and forbidding.So thought Dorothy Wordsworth anyway when she visited with brother William noting that this end  resembled a bleak version of Ullswater.Must have just been the weather that day as It was magical enough on my trip.

Around here an army of toads crawled all over the road in full breeding frenzy....

.....along with cute little wriggling caterpillars.I tried to look these up a minute ago without success.Anybody know what moth or butterfly they turn into?

Unfortunately even on a quiet road like this one soft bodies and traffic don't mix well.It was obvious a few cars had passed.Hope this one had a happy time with a partner before this sudden  demise.

Come to think of it I looked something like this after my most painful, face first road smash.Unlike this poor wee croaker I survived to dent the ground again.No wonder I like cycling on sand! Forth the gallant  multi tarmac smacker!
I had lunch at the Hamlet of Stronachlahar where the ferry calls in.The public road starts from here, the still quiet B829 which runs past Loch Chon and Loch Ard to Aberfoyle.I always look foreword to this section as its a long easy downhill where you can sit and admire the views without effort.

Large flocks of Canada geese honked and munched grass in the flat green meadows around Loch Ard.

They are very vocal birds and I remember getting chased here by a pair paddling furiously after me for a considerable distance during the mating season.Must have been near a hidden nest.This is also a great loch to explore in a kayak with a slow twisting river section,deep clear pools and wooded islands with a surprise on both.

The lower road around Loch Ard can be busy as its well populated,full of holiday apartments ,large houses and second homes.Still scenic though but busy with cars if cycling.
Aberfoyle is soon reached where hotels, pubs,shops and meals may be had for those inclined.I pressed on though keeping my money rationed  for other trips.
The Dukes pass lay ahead- the biggest climb of the route.Whatever way you climb this its a brute.I normally  just walk up the road to the top pushing bike to save the legs but this time due to heavy traffic I took the safe route on tracks  through Queen Elizabeth forest park.I`m not a big fan of conifer forests and found the track up tedious ,long and boring with zilch views but it did have a few points of interest.
Some nice  small waterfalls,and this  sculpture grove of polished metal figures that almost disappear when viewed from certain angles due to them reflecting the surroundings.Maybe inspired by the children of the mist stories?Very  unusual project.

The last highlight was seeing the treetop go ape course getting a pre opening safety check. They were going to erect one of these in Pollok park in Glasgow but it is better out here where folk wanting solitude on their walks can more easily escape the shouts of excited children draining their parents pockets.Good fun but its not cheap!When you see the level of maintanence involved thats no surprise.Years ago children just climbed trees the normal way for adventure.Now ,somehow, unless its safe,regulated and supervised ( and costs  money) its not seen as an exciting thing to do by children and parents alike.

Arrived back at the car pretty knackered on what was an unseasonably warm day.A fantastic trip around a great area.

As a wee history footnote.... after the great  highland clearances and the dismantling of the entire clan system ,replacing people with sheep, a huge number of the dispossessed driven out of their homes and lands both here but also in the Scottish lowlands and Ireland emigrated to America where they came in very useful as a resilient buffer zone between the" troublesome"Native Americans (Indians) and the more peace orientated settlers in the flat fertile valleys and plains.All along the great Appalachian mountain chain  of the Southern  United States these old world  dispossessed fought the new world dispossessed for control of the wooded hollows and valley foothills.Ironic or what!
Eventually,after many hard years they began to prosper and flourish  (admittedly at the expense of the even more  marginalized  Indians),bringing their music ,clan values ,traditions and whisky stills with them.Clan and kin still mattered.
For a while all was good........


Then the American civil war happened and it was all back to normal again..Fighting ,killing stealing cattle etc :o)
Ah well ...they say a change is as good as a rest!

Ayrshire Coastal Path.Storm conditions.

Hi Bob here.No thats not me I,m slightly better trained.

How true this is.The last thing you want flying at you in sixty mile an hour winds is a big lump of dog muck.
It`s been a long time since I was out on purpose in a big storm down the coast.It`s not that easy to capture one unless you live beside the sea.A few times now I`ve raced down to a likely spot only to find its not that special or wild after all.
So...I sacked the normal weather forecasts letting me down and went back to tried and trusted methods.
Emptying my bag of small animal bones,spirals,dice and murdered mice heads I threw the first cast across the polished floor of her shrine.
It always lifts my heart to see those little heads and their accusing eyes tumble across the mahogany.As my frog from the garden pond sat quietly watching the proceedings I rolled nineteen times more before I hit a winner.In my experience murdered mice heads tell no lies!
So be it....three weekend Saturday outings would be needed where high tides and winds combined.

The Ayrshire coastal path runs from Skelmorlie beside Wemyss Bay for 100 miles along the Firth of Clyde to its end (or beginning if starting there) at Glenapp approx 10 miles from Stranraer.
Its certainly not the best long distance path in Scotland (the three coast to coast routes would be my pick if I were into multi day trips here) but it is entertaining and easy to follow with cliffs,castles,sandy beaches and lots of history.A few parts are semi industrial others like the stretches between Irvine and Troon or Ayr to the Maidens are wild and exposed.
Some walking sections have been covered in this blog(Maidens to Culzean Castle for one) other parts are suitable on a bike.It was these I wanted to cherry pick during extreme conditions on my rusty, trusty metal nag.

Any method of self propulsion just somehow feels right and exhilarating.Skiing ,kayaking,climbing,rowing,cycling....they all feel natural and energizing.Just ask Icarus here.
I`ve been cycling on and off since childhood.Mainly on.It`s great for keeping fit and covering distance yet still being close to the outdoors and nature.You can also follow paths no other form of transport can get across as its light enough to be carried if need be.
Its also free,a big consideration in this age of soaring fuel costs.A return trip to the far northern parts of Scotland now costs over 100 pounds in a car. I remember a  full weeks Munro bagging trip up there for a fiver!
I love cycling but it can also be dangerous.If you fall off at speed it usually hurts......a lot!
For fifteen years I was into rock climbing,a perceived dangerous sport,and never had a serious accident as I climbed within my limits.I was also lucky with folk I trusted holding the rope.
On my bike however,also cycling within my limits,I`ve had a broken collar bone,nose,ribs,missing tooth,and various minor injuries to ankles,legs, neck, back and head.Thankfully I wasn`t pretty to start off with and it still gives me a thrill every time I sit in the saddle.Each trip is a great new adventure.....if you survive.

National cycle magazines always have a yearly obituary list of all those keen roads cyclist members who have met a sticky end pursuing their sport.
It makes a hair raising  read.
Head first into an opening car door,flattened by a lorry,sideswiped by cars,knocked down and tramped by cows running  across a country lane,taken out by golf ball,throttled and dumped in a canal,bricked or crossbow bolted in a dodgy part of city or town..........sometimes it seems like the whole world has a secret agenda to take out the brave cyclist as the lists are so bizarre!
Anyway..I would be safe down the coast in a storm.
First trip was Saltcoats,where they did indeed used to make sea salt in the natural salt pans still there to be viewed by passers bye.

It was pretty wild but I set off  towards Kilwinning along the promenade then the beaches heading for the long crumpled mass of  the Ardeer peninsula.

It was out here far from anywhere that Alfred Nobel,the peace prize founder,was allowed to set up his explosives and munitions factory sprawling across the miles of sand dunes.At its peak this employed 13,000 workers with its own power station and railway network.It even had an on site bank,dentist and travel agent.
You can still see the remains buried in the  shifting dunes.Its a flat low tide canter on a bike out to the dead end of the Irvine River mouth passing  disturbing mounds of huge empty worm casts like the setting to the very end of days.A bleak,eerie and desolate place.Even Nobel was struck by how remote it felt though Kilwinning is not that far away.There is still a  smaller explosives plant at Ardeer and in 2007 kids somehow managed to sneak in and blow up something that was heard for miles around and needed the emergency services  to  go out and deal with the resulting  fireball.
One of the strangest beaches in Scotland.
It was only when I returned from this trip that Alex informed me (ahem... he`d read it in a paper somewhere) that it was one of the top dogging sites in Scotland.Seems a funny place to walk your dog though.And he,s not even got a dog!
Next outing was an old favourite...Troon.A canter along the sands towards Barassie where there was some kind of kite surfing competition going on,loads of guys that were really attacking the waves for a change.

There were even some brave or mad enough to take off into the air,soaring for a good distance before landing.

I had a  tentative go at this sport a couple of years ago, great fun but it nearly ripped my arms off.Sadly I`m past it now. Its a young folks game.

This is more me nowadays, old enough to be a  granddad yet still belting along the sands on a bike.OK I admit it I`m mad.With a strong wind at your back though you can go like the clappers,you just have to watch out for dips, dogs, folk, puddles,ripples and softer sand.You soon get used to reading the route ahead at speed.

Britannia watched proceedings with her usual cold but not unkindly stare.It was so exciting I felt some happy songs coming on.
As I covered the miles "Two fists of sadness" got an  vocal airing then a triple tear jerker of old time American classics.."Baby in the bloodhound" ..."Muleskinners stole my darling bride"....and the towering "Suicide Apocolypse" by the mighty dooms.A memorable outing in bright sunshine.What a day.

The last bike outing was the section between Prestwick and Ayr.It was so wild bits of seaweed and stones were flying onto the promenade as well as sea spray.Magic stuff! Inland, a few hours  later on, it was almost normal though.Sunny ,dry and pleasant if a tad windy.

Here's the interesting  clock in the old town

Back in the house,after consulting my book of best home made pagan remedies I mixed up a health drink for Alex`s sore foot.See ,I,still think of him even when I`m out enjoying myself.What a pal!
Small mixed bones,jelly fungus and several minced mice heads too tatty to be rolled across her shrine any more made a fine smoothie but he was reluctant to be a guinea pig.(Come to think of it bits of that might have been in it as well,also a handy, not quite fast enough, tame frog)
Whats wrong with that boy! Doesn't he want to get better.Its all good natural produce I use.
Pity he`s not that keen on cycling though.Its such good fun.Few sports give you the luxury of getting killed or maimed  every time you roll out your own front door.
(Disclaimer....although this is posted today it was written on  the first day in April  :o)

Steall Hut,Glen Nevis .

5th/6th March 2011.

This is one from 2 weeks ago as we almost get on top of our backlog of trips.Hooray! It has another title though.....

                           The Secret Diary of a hot hut Bunny!

I already knew the forecast for this particular  weekend,a grim windswept hell above 1000 feet,. but decided to go anyway as its an interesting area with a nice but basic hut (almost a locked bothy really) and over 20 Munros on its doorstep.
I`d been here many times over the years but didn't have that many good photographs of the area as I was more into bagging hills then than clicking cameras.(silly me!).The forecast was for heavy snowfalls and strong winds but I had a sneaky plan that would make the forecast irrelevant.
Travelling through Fort William  then parking at the top of Glen Nevis at the road end our club geared up in the dark with head torches and rucksacks and walked in Friday night.

Five of us walked in along the narrow ledges high above the gorge.Gordon ,Julian,Gavin, Graham and myself.Its an impressive and popular walk under the highest mountain in Britain,Ben Nevis at  4,400 feet.First you have the twisting  path,usually walked in daytime,then a flat meadow section, then the wire bridge to the hut and then lastly a spectacular close up view of one of the highest and best waterfalls in the UK.

This is what the path looks like in daytime.We did it in the dark.Such brave boys!

The bridge is pretty easy if you are used to it even in driving rain and a howling wind and we were soon in the hut,sadly only open to climbing club members.( Quite right ,keeps the riff raff out  :0 )

Mind you if you do fall off broken ankles or drowning under a heavy rucksack is a possibility.Prince Charles has even crossed it a good few years ago if I remember.
Once in the hut drink and grub appeared and was duly scoffed.The gas fire was coaxed into life,candles were lit and things got dry and cosy again.Everyone settled back to enjoy being indoors on a wild  night.

In the morning OS maps were produced and Gordon (good grief he`s keen!) and a rather less enthusiastic but willing Julian set off through knee deep snow to do the set of Munros above the hut called the Ring of Steall.Given the conditions I though getting to the top of anything that day would be a herculean effort but it takes all sorts.
I was once pretty keen myself in the old days and had many juicy moments thrashing along icy ridges before I discovered my one true love...the sun.
Not believe me.Here's one from the vaults of an epic November traverse of the Anoach Eagach.We came down in the dark totally shattered.In those days I had those strange fleeting things....youth and energy.

Anyway our keen twosome geared up and prepared for the happy storm outside.When they looked askance in my direction however I could equally happily reveal my chosen team role.I was also in bagging mode and was relieved to see no one had  sneaked in first and claimed my prize.
"Good news boys! I`m your weekend  Hot Hut Bunny.Have a great day outside!"
The penny didn't drop so I had to elaborate.In short I would be a base camp/domestic goddess service rolled into one.I would selflessly stay behind to clean the hut,collect buckets  and bottles of water from the stream for washing flushing and drinking,change the gas bottle,open tins of food (mainly mine) and raise the alarm if they didn't return.A volunteer is worth ten paid men!
I would even provide hugs and kisses for the troops on their return (they declined this service :o(  and threw in a free complimentary triple bucket full flush for the outside loo.( they used this after the main meal--- better flushed than sitting stuffed I always say.

I was not alone in body swerving the conditions outside however...Gavin and Graham, normally keen hill walkers themselves watched the snow falling in disgust till after lunch then decided to cut their losses,driving home to be with family instead of spending any more  time festering.
I had already been out of course.As part of my duties capturing departures of my brave troops was high on  the tick list.Here's one of Jools and Gordon crossing under the waterfall to start their ascent.

Such gallant boys!
I was then able to join Gavin and Graham on the walk out.I`m actually still keen myself to embrace wild conditions as long as its  semi sheltered,photogenic and interesting.I even suggested taking the little known lower gorge trail,the original and harder path below the main tourist route

.Few people use this now so its slippy,crumbling and awkward in places especially with a large rucksack.I didn't have one of course as I was only out for a ramble.

As luck would have it the rain and slush battered down.Good fun none the less.No casualties to report.
I said goodbye to the boys with a cherry wave at the car then doubled back up the gorge to the bliss of my new found kingdom.
Miss Chatelaine returns.
Unpacking my apron and fluffy mittens I spent the rest of the daylight hours cleaning the bridge, dusting the waterfalls exploring the meadow area then reading my lovely heartbreaking book which I`d been keeping  for just this occasion.
 Just before dark the two boys staggered back through the still falling white stuff with tales of storm force winds on the ridge,waist deep snow and zero visibility even with ski goggles on.No new Munro's alas!
"There there,never mind "I consoled".Have a chocolate chip cookie instead boys. Mummy feels your pain."

Saturday night saw another keen mountaineer Craig arrive across the bridge and Jools breathed a sigh of relief knowing he could now bow out and still leave Gordon with a willing snow wader to take turns shuffling upwards.
With a captive audience I took the opportunity,later on that night to provide another, much needed service for the troops.
Night time entertainment!
No not that! Heaven forbid.I`m a good boy me!
Singing I mean!
Dame Vera Lynn would expect nothing less.
Being a rather shy chanteuse with an average voice however the songs I picked to sing had to have a certain lyrical edge to them.I didn't want anyone falling asleep on me.My cheery little tales of evil deeds,unnatural acts and grief induced mad carnage seemed to do the trick in keeping them alert.You cant beat a good mix of foot stomping classics and dark, slow family destruction ballads.
Next day was even worse than Saturday.Winds of eighty miles an hour on the ridges,snow even heavier,brave boys still going out.
Gods tender bits in a vice! Never in my puff have I seen men so keen for a battle with the elements!
It was a perfect day for those further away Munro's miles up the glen they  both decided as these also were new mountains that had to be bagged.This was also the reason Alex had called off at the last minute because he knew he wouldn't be ticking off anything without major pain and discomfort and he`s not THAT keen !

Off they went across the bridge again with a last wave.Even this was encrusted with snow ice resting on the wires.Cold on fingers or wetting on gloves at the start of the day.Hug Hug, Kiss Kiss,bye bye. Miss Chatelaine will  look after all your nice toys for you...I pods,car keys,money etc..Its the least I can do.
Jools and myself then stayed behind quietly reading our chosen books in the comfort of the hut.Mine... wicked witch...His..how to be a better lumberjack.
Time passed quickly and before we knew it the boys were back  mid afternoon with epic tales of hummock crawling,snowdrift wading and river jumping.It was so bad they hadn`t even reached the dizzy heights this time or maybe that was part of the cunning plan in a 10 km approach hike through deep snow.Never mind...
hug hug,kiss kiss welcome back..You want all your stuff back again?....  Really?.... oh ok.
We then packed up and headed back down the gorge to Glasgow.A great weekend to be in the mountains  during what may be the last big  snow storms of the winter.I`m soo glad I didn`t spend it festering all weekend on my bum.Thats soo totally unlike me.I`m a bonafide Chatelaine me!
The names Bunny. Mr Hot Hut Bunny to my friends and those who have had the pleasure.......
of my services.

A couple of pics from Gordon.

Saturday....

Sunday.....

A wee video....

Trahenna Hill and Quothquan Law.

30th January 2011 

Alex.

Just a quick trip report to ease the backlog :)

Nothing to promising weatherwise today so we decided to stay local and low.A quick jaunt down to the Biggar area for Trahenna Law with Bob and John K.
The summits were clear and it didn`t rain but there was a baltic wind which is why there isn`t even a summit pic.
We parked in the community hall car park on the edge of the village and then took the track up to Broughton Place.I`m sure this is a misprint and should be Broughton Palace as it it is one huge pile of a country house.

Wandered up the glen ....

...and then took the shoulder up to Hammer Head and followed the ridge around to the cairn.You can see Bob protecting his face from the cold wind in this pic....

Ten minutes in a nook below the summit was enough for us and we headed off due south to have a look at the old fort for a while before following what seemed to be an old railway line back along the banks of the River Tweed to Broughton. Scotland acted the pig once more and as we arrived back at the car the sun came out :) Not wanting to waste it we wondered what to do.A few years ago I had watched the sunset from Quothquan Law and suggested we do the same again.

The River Clyde snakes it`s way northwards from  Quothquan Law.....

John at the top waiting for the sunset..

Alas,after some nice late evening light the sunset didn`t really turn out to be anything special.

Sun sets behind Tinto....

So,it was time we headed for home....

Glen Roy.Roybridge.

Another trip up north from a few weeks back (mid January I think)  this time exploring the Glen Roy area north of Fort William,a region which has some nice remote bothies in a very wild empty landscape.

Walked in Friday night in the dark with fuel for the fire split between three of us.No Alex this time,he was busy elsewhere that particular weekend.The temperature was well below freezing but clear and crisp.Still needed the GPS to find the bothy though as its  hidden on a dark hillside even one covered in snow.

Good night was spent in the bothy which has a wood burning stove.Normally I`m not a fan of these contraptions as nothing beats an open coal fire to gather round but this one was unusual in that you could open the door from time to time for a look see without it dying on you.

It takes away some of the magic without an open fire if the focal point is a warm but shut tight lump of metal.
Even with candles bothies can be dark places without the cosy glow of a fireplace.
Mind you its a lot better than no fire at all when the temperature is minus -12 outside.

Morning was clear and sparkling.Jules and Scott ,my bothy companions,headed back to the car via the hills above the bothy while I was happy tidying up then walking out along the glen with good views of the parallel roads.

These tide mark lines were formed during the last ice age when a glacier blocked the natural flow of water creating a large deep dam.Eventually it melted leaving tidemarks like in a bathtub.
Seen a large flock of snow buntings on the walk out,dancing between the hollows and ridges with their tinkling musical song.No pictures, far too restless and flighty over open ground.If you haven't seen them think sparrows with white breast and wing patterns.Mind you its a long time since I seen a large flock of sparrows.Them and starlings used to be a common sight in their thousands in my childhood but due to a number of factors you are lucky to see them in any numbers now.
I can remember going into Glasgow city centre at Christmas time and hearing huge numbers of birds above warming themselves on the strings of Christmas lights.Most cities then had close on a million birds each every winter.Its a bit sad to see them so few in number nowadays

When I got back to Glasgow found this wee bird in the local park.For some spring will not arrive.
On the bright side `,m a taddy daddy again as another amphibian `maybe even the same one) has dumped its load of spawn in my pond for the second year running.Yippee! A summer spent among the little froggy folk again!
On the way back in recent trips I,ve been taking an interest in all the roadside sculptures springing up.Most of these are by Glasgow based artist Andy Scott who has been active for years with works as far afield as Australia as I found out with one of his works."The loaded dog" planted outside the  Whyalla vet surgery in South Australia.I`ve always admired his projects starting with the heavy horse on the M8.

Captured this recent example at Cumbernauld. She`s called" Arria" after the original Gaelic meaning of Cumbernauld as the coming together of waters.As anyone whose paid a visit to this new town on a wet windswept day can testify ,the name is apt as it sits high on its ridge.
He`s an exciting artist with a lot of different  public projects coming out over the next few years.

This is not one of his but a good likeness of our former MP and First Minister Donald Dewar.Unusually for a politician he was well liked by most folk,maybe this is why the kids find him irresistible for late night high jinks even when he stands on a lofty plinth.It could only be Glasgow!

Alex:

Here`s one of Scotts pics from their day on the hills above the bothy....