March 2017 - Photo Competition

[The Gurnard]

Hah... a great topic for me this month Roger.

I couldn’t enter last month as I have no embarrassing photos of myself.. nor do I have daft hats.. but that's just me .. I act as I please and wear what I want.. and seldom feel embarrassed

I have many favourite camp spots on the west of Scotland ..but chose this one ..simply because I found photos of it before finding photos of any of the other places.

Its a small sandy bay backed by high crags and cliffs. It is miles from anywhere and looks nothing special from the sea. For scale ..you can just make out my Tesco Extra Value tent to the right of the sandy bit.

My tents and camping gear are as basic as my boats. For me.. Its not materialistic possessions that make for the best experiences ..

Its a frame of mind and closeness to nature’s surroundings that floats my boat ..in serine solitude.

I can think of nothing better than the magic of sitting by an open campfire constructed on sand .. while slowly sizzling sassages ..and slurping cool beers ..

Watching the sun set far across the sea on a silent horizon..

Then happily falling asleep to the rhythmic sounds of a wave rolling softly on sandy shore.

While ..Thanking god .. that its not pissing with rain

Yup.. roll on long summer sunset nights sleeping in the wilderness again

[rogerblack]

Thanks for sharing those amazing shots with us, Sir Gurnard!
(hope all is going well with your post-op recuperation)

With so many worthy entries so far, this is going to be a really difficult competition to judge.

Keep 'em coming folks, still loads of time to get your entries in.

[9-R]

Interesting photo, I like how the grass stands out to add some green to the spectrum. Was it illuminated by some other source like a camp fire or flash?

[Martin]

I'm looking on my phone, but they look like new shoots, possibly daffies ?

[The Gurnard]

Yup..you are bang on the button 9-R .. it is fill flash.

A technique I use quite a lot in sunsets etc. It brings out some interest in the foreground ..which without the fill flash would be a dark mass and not so effective.

Here is another shot using the same technique.. a sunrise this time.. the flash is bright enough to illuminate some detail in the first few posts.. but its not strong enough to reach the further posts..which remain in silhouette.

A sunrise or sunset is always my highlight on a good wild camp.. but few are as good as this memorable one I took from Arisaig beach..I felt the foreground rocks were interesting enough without fill flash.

They do look like daffys Martin..but its probable around May time when I took these photos .. a couple of years back.

Think they are called Three flag Iris ..and are quite a common “weed” found around Scotland. 9-R will recognise them too as I remember seeing them in Texas when I visited there.. they are probably as common as daffys.

The Iris and also the foxgloves are my favourite wild flowers as they always appear when it is boating / camping season.

Another month and I will be heading for another year of my gypsy life.. roaming the countryside.. scavenging for fish and berries. I planted some potatoes last year ..in a remote region I often visit ..so Im hoping I can have a few home grown chips with my mackerels and gravy this year.

Roger..these ones are not in the comp.. so ignore them as they are off topic. Im back to normal now too..after my close shave with the scalpel blade. I had hoped a gall bladder would have weighed a bit more .. as Im still slightly over weight .. but the winter blubber will soon go when I hit the wilderness.

[Stray]

We got snowed in up at malham tarn a couple of years ago;



it was during the Easter holidays.

[Paul]

Stray, seeing this did make me laugh as yup Easter has a way of twisting the weather coz I've been snowed in too a few years back
No photos to prove it but we got 4" that year

[sparerib]

If you look really closely....there is a caravan on the Tay bridge....no honestly there is really

First outing this year, a quick blast on the Tay, launched at Broughtyferry, free good access slip and a 45min blast around in the sunshine....back in time for the school run

[Pete]

You've got good eye sight sparerib, I can only see two buses and two vans, possibly Transits

[DouglasW]

Sorry this is so late. This is not really an entry, it is just to follow Roger's lead in sharing some inspiration for some good camping expeditions in 2017. I was lucky to have some good camping last year...

An Cladach SE Islay watching...

...the dawn over Sound of Islay.

Cruib Lodge bothy, West Loch Tarbert, Jura.

Cruib Lodge

Cruib lodge

Fidden camp site Ross of Mull with...

...sunset over Iona.

Wild camp Bay of Laig, Eigg with view to Rum Cuillin.

Wild camp site NW Canna with...

...sunset over the Outer Hebrides.

Wild camp SE Rum with...

...view to Eigg.

Wild camp Saddell Bay Kintyre where the video...

...for Wings Mull of Kintyre was filmed.

Wild camp Crossaig Bay, Kintyre with...

...view to Arran.

Wild camp Inchmarnock in rain and midges.

Laggan bothy Arran which...

...we shared with a large black rat.

Inninmore bothy, Morvern which...

...we shared with lots of mice.

Wild camp Loch Sunart with...

...sunset over Ardnsmurchan.

Autumn wild camp Loch Shiel with...

...stags roaring round our camp fire.

Arriving at sunset for our last camp site of the year at...

...Smirisary, Moidart with view to...

...Ardnamurchan in the dusk.

I wish everyone some great camping adventures in 2017 )

Douglas