The PS Waverley sailing by

There’s always something magical to see the last seagoing paddle steamer, the PS Waverley, sailing by.

Buchanan Castle ruins

A wander around Buchanan Castle on a cold, crisp Sunday afternoon.

Balquhidder’s Old Kirk

Exploring Blaquhidder’s Old Kirk and graveyard.

It’s not just Rob Roy’s grave that’s interesting.

The SS Sir Walter Scott

The SS Sir Walter Scott is a small steamship that was built in 1899 at Dumbarton that has provided pleasure cruises and ferry services on Loch Katrine for well over a century. The steamer is the only surviving screw steamer in regular passenger service in Scotland and is named after the writer Sir Walter Scott, who set his 1810 poem Lady of the Lake, and his 1818 novel Rob Roy around Loch Katrine.

I wholeheartedly agree with David Ritchie, who took the below photograph of the SS Sir Walter Scott back in 2006, that recent restorations have unfortunately ruined the steamer’s looks.

The SS Sir Walter Scott in 2006, courtesy of David Ritchie

Castle Campbell sunset

A browse through some of our 19th century books made us decide to take a drive to Airth to explore Airth Old Parish Church that stands in the grounds of Airth Castle. Disappointingly, our trip was in vain as the ruined church is entirely cordoned off with Heras fencing.

With no plan B, we decided on the spot to drive on, crossing the River Forth over the Clackmannanshire Bridge heading for Dollar with the intention to have another wander around Dollar Glen and one of our favourite castles, Castle Campbell.

The castle, also known as Castle Gloom, is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and stands imposingly at the top of Dollar Glen where the Burn of Sorrow and the Burn of Care join to form the Dollar Burn. Simply a stunning medieval castle in a stunning location.

After exploring the waterfalls on the Burn of Sorrow and admiring the views from above the castle, we headed back down when the sun started to set. A slight detour onto the hillside above the Born of Care rewarded us with a stunning sunset.

Tappoch Broch

Tappoch Broch, also known as Torwood Broch lies in the woods above Torwood.

Torwood Castle

Torwood castle…

The crannog on Loch Tay

An afternoon walk from Killin to the shore of Loch Tay…

A wander around Govan Church

A lunchtime wander exploring Govan Church and graveyard with some of my work colleagues.

A wander to the Barrowlands

A lunchtime wander exploring the Gallowgate and the Barrowlands with some of my work colleagues.

A wander to the Gallowgate

A lunchtime wander exploring the Gallowgate in Glasgow with some of my work colleagues.

The tobacco warehouses

A lunchtime wander exploring the tobacco warehouses on the Clydeside in Glasgow City with some of my work colleagues.