38 thoughts on “Some of the Magic of Scotland – Stones, Lochs and Reflections – Photos”

      1. Hopefully nutty enough to dispose of your trash properly.
        Most English people who tramp around Scottish beauty spots are these very annoying pests who keep leaving all their trash behind them.
        Discarded empty water bottles are chief offenders.

  2. I’m pleased to hear it.
    We know who the offenders are from the printed information on the bottles. The pack number codes tell us where these bottles were distributed to in the first place. 90% of all bottle trash as found lying around discarded in Scottish tourist spots comes from England. You’re a dirty bunch of pests.

    1. Lol – thank you for the stereotyped racism! Perhaps you Scottish are too pissed to get out into the countryside and leave any litter?

      1. Despite tourism providing £11bn to the Scottish economy, I see there is still one who wishes to highlight the famous parsimonious character of the Scot 😉

      2. Well the irony Dewin is that Scotland requires huge subsidies from the rest of the UK in order to provide its public services. All that beauty means a population that is dispersed and sparse in a terrain that creates problems. It puts costs up.

      3. Last time I looked, the English weren’t a race. But I can confirm they are anti-social pests. At least the majority are.
        No matey, we just have to employ eastern europeans to pick up your trash.
        We teach our children the country code. That’s why you find the place clean and tidy upon your arrival and the gates closed. It’s when you lot leave that all the problems arise.

      4. Geraldine – the whole concept of race is a flawed one. But to stereotype people in such a way is absurd and rather obnoxious. I won’t respond with a series of equally absurd stereotypes about Scottish people. All such bland statements are absurd. Of course there are plenty of obnoxious English twats who are arrogant littering pests and I’m sure there’s plenty Scottish folk who leave litter and leave gates open. I bet there’s a number who come off the council estates who were never taught any country code. Me thinks you talk rubbish about rubbish.

  3. No Dewin Naffall. Nothing like £11bn comes from English tourism. That’s a total estimated figure for everything.
    English people tramping around beauty spots leaving their trash behind them makes very little money for anybody. Most places are free to visit. All countryside activity is free.
    Why, did you think as many English would come if they had to pay? The English are the worst spenders bar none in Europe.

    1. Another set of bland stereotypes. I think you’ll find many English who are free-spending jovial and friendly who do not leave trash. There are also plenty of Scots who are miserable, miserly and leave plenty of trash.

      1. Mr Opher,
        I’m afraid you’re just a wee bit out of date with some of that information of yours.
        But isn’t it total nonsense that Scotland has to wait to get paid out from bloody England like it’s pocket money or something. Serious problem with that. We get nothing like back compared to what is contributed. It’s no laughing matter and we take great exception to English wankers making stupid snide comments about it like we owe them a living. You need to be more careful with that as you’ll get yourself pulled up for it. Be aware that there’s an ever growing bunch of people out there who store such information for their own future reference. You don’t want to get singled out for it.
        Ref subsidies – actually they don’t nearly cover what’s required. Which to much extent explains why our NHS does a lot of private works. Our transport systems more than pay for themselves. Our public sector expenditure is met with taxation and export income. Our universities now have so many thousands of fee-paying foreign students that the majority of inner-city new building schemes have been for student accommodation services. They’ve only just neared completion such was the rapidity of influx.
        I think you’ve also entirely forgotten about the billions of oil revenues that firstly go to Westminster to be wasted on you lot. That will end in the not too distant future.
        Technically, we need England for nothing. They need us more than we will ever need them as they can’t/don’t/won’t manufacture like we do with clothing. They aren’t building ships as we are again. More importantly, England no longer produces enough food stuffs to feed itself. That’s a very dangerous predicament to get to. There’s a whole host of other industries that England cannot compete with. Basically England has fast become one big city investment bank where the largest employers are call centres. It’s a very grim prospect for any quality of life.
        England’s cities are rapidly turning into a Euro toilet, with even more personal space lost to several million African and Asian immigrants all who have set up their own territory. It’s really not looking too good for you all. You’ve let immigration run riot.
        Up here we can still play “spot the darky”. There’s just so few of them.
        Your info is rotten and from something like the early 1970s.

        I live in an area that’s gateway to the Trossachs. Our admin system automatically sends me any public internet information such as your post.
        The day you get employed by Visit Scotland in an administrative capacity and privy to mountains of pertinent information will be the day I might start to pay attention to a word you say.
        We know who is doing nearly all of the littering. There’s really no argument about it. The codes on these damned bottles tell us that. It is not people from around here.
        There’s also the small matter that England has ten times the amount of people than we have. Scottish people living in rural areas are not trashing their own back yards. That’s inconceivable and an anathema, simply because so many of them make a living from it one way or another.
        The people trecking around in organised groups are definitely not those unfortunates from Scotland’s council estates who quite simply wouldn’t have a hope in hell of getting near most of these places for lack of the means to do so – a car.
        We also know from vehicle registrations – every single one is taken the second it crosses the border line – and again at multiple points en route.
        We know exactly who is responsible for what. It’s got nothing to do with your perception of anything stereotypical, but hard facts. We know who is dropping 90% of the litter garbage and we know from where it has been brought. We’re not bloody stupid. We’re running a multi-billion pound concern so trust me, we know exactly what’s bloody what. OK? Have you got all that?

        No you don’t seem to understand. England has the lowest spending tourists in the whole of Europe. They spend less than any other nation. They spend the most on cheap take-away food and beer and the least on decent restaurant food and wines.
        That’s not stereotypical, that’s a plain hard fact. You’re much of a nation of lazy slovenly uncouth sloths.

        I can’t identify your loch-side pics. Not enough info, even with the standing stones as they’re all over the place.
        A small loch by a hillside in Scotland? How unusual is that?

      2. What a sad reaction Geraldine (if it really is Geraldine which I doubt very much). A grumpy, ill-tempered reply, full of threats, arrogance, snide remarks and racism. A shame really.
        I think we saw in the Scottish referendum that most Scots realised which side of their bread was buttered.

      3. Which is an as expected spot of hypocrisy from you, considering what appear to be your personal call for yet another referendum on staying in or leaving the EU. The vote in Scotland was 55 versus 45. Several years earlier it had been 70 versus 30. The Independent movement is rapidly increasing so it’s now only a matter of time. I’m not a supporter for breakaway, but I hate a great number of England’s MP’s enough to warrant future exclusion from them. The Labour Party in particular. Thankfully these liberal nutters are now dead in the water here so no dangers of us swamping our cities with begging and knifing Somali’s.

        You can accept things for what they really are or you can’t. It’s not a pretend experiment. It’s a chronic anti-social problem and to make mention of the fact that several million fairly undesirable waste of space people’s have suddenly populated England is not racist. It’s a fact. You now have major problems with that and they are sucking your resources dry. Look at the unemployment stats. Look at the NHS usage percentage stats. Look at the percentage demographic crime stats. It’s all there in black and white.

        Had you much knowledge of any accuracy on the subject matter I wouldn’t need to make corrections towards you, would I? I can only suggest that you talk about matters that you have an accomplished understanding of. If you consider being corrected as “grumpy, ill-tempered, arrogant and snide” then there’s really no helping you, is there?

      4. Of course I want another referendum on Brexit. I want to stay in. It is so obviously, despite the negatives, in our interests as a country to stay in. There is absolutely no doubt on that. The stupid bungled referendum should never have been called in the first place, was full of lies and illegal acts and should have demanded at least a 60/40 for such a momentous decision. The population certainly did not vote for this pile of shit and they certainly didn’t vote to mess the future up for their kids. The country as a whole is not in favour of it as the polls clearly show. We need another vote to put things right!
        I don’t think Scotland will ever vote to leave the UK and I would be extremely sad if they did. I think it would be very bad for both of us.
        I too despise many of the English politicians but some of the Scottish ones aren’t a lot better are they?
        Of course coming out with statements stereotyping people – ‘It’s a chronic anti-social problem and to make mention of the fact that several million fairly undesirable waste of space people’s have suddenly populated England is not racist’ – in such a way is racist. We have a major problem with too much immigration but they are far from undesirable and wastes of space. They are working in our NHS as nurses and doctors, wiping arses in care homes, working in catering, working in the fields picking our vegetables, working as plumbers, electricians and construction workers. Without them the country is fucked. We do not have the skills or the people prepared to do the jobs. The politicians know that which is why they ‘ALL’ sanction it. Under EU law they could send anyone back who does not have a job after three months – but they haven’t. They have complete control over people coming in from outside the EU and it has been soaring. They could control immigration if they wanted. All Brexit will mean is that we’ll bring in more from Asia and Africa instead of Europe.
        The crime stats show one thing – the massive cuts of policing under Tory austerity has reached crisis point. It’s not immigration that is the problem it’s the callous fucking Tories and their ideology regards public service – police, youth services, libraries, education. No wonder there’s a fucking crime wave. You don’t have to be a genius to see that. You are brainwashed into believing the wrong crap.

      5. You are completely wrong.
        You don’t seem to know that 80% of migrants that have entered UK these last few years are unemployed. They are not working. I am not referring to people who are working. I am referring to these waste of spaces who turn up from Somalia and such like with begging bowl bringing all their problems with them.
        That’s what’s wrong with all you liberal wankers, the minute any suggestion is made that we are being swamped by beggars and free-loading wasters, the term “racist” gets liberally applied. What a bloody fool you are. Look around you. Look at it. It’s a fucking shitty mess. Look at some of the north of England. My god, man, it’s unrecognisable from thirty, twenty years ago. It’s been swamped. Some London and midlands areas are even worse and have turned into horrible places, a sickly New Karachi.

        No, you are wrong about that term of three months. People can stay for as long as they like – that’s EU law. So I don’t know where you got your rotten information from.
        The only changes made were not EU law, but UK law only, where migrants may not receive benefit for up to four years. The UK under Cameron imposed that ruling despite EU objections. You need to re-learn the current laws because you are talking out your arse. Had the EU complete powers of sovereignty, then Cameron would never have been able to do that. This is what the EU want and won’t stop until they get it.
        The EU are slowly and surely becoming a very dangerous prospect for the few of lft with any level of radical free thinking left.
        You have been brain damaged. It’s called Stockholm Syndrome.

        You think wrong (again) on Scotland. Since the last narrow loss by only 10% swing, many more young persons have reached the age of 16 and they too will be granted voting rights. This is why Sturgeon is wasting no time rolling out plans as soon as Brexit takes place. I don’t want that myself but am resigned to the fact that it will happen eventually. Scotland will dissolve the UK, that’s a certainty.

        I think you’ve bitten off a bit more than you can chew with all this austerity business. The fact is we have bred too many knife carrying thug kids who have no respect for the law. The fact that many are of Caribbean descent is a fact. There’s nothing the police can do about that. It’s a nonsense to suggest youth crime is a result of police cuts. Not all areas need more police. Some areas have more police than they actually need, which is why they re-deploy to neighbouring areas.
        That’s the leftist excuse that’s always made to cover up for all the deficiencies with the working class. They can’t take responsibility over their own, this rabble shower of thug kids they’ve spawned and want to blame the Tories. You can see them coming a mile off with that one.
        The education system let too many kids down with teaching them crap.
        Chronic immigration IS the number one problem and nothing to do with your bloody stupidity over libraries. Nobody uses libraries any more. They don’t need to, it’s called an iPhone and Google.

        I can see you’re one of these moaners that firstly wants to argue his toss over a coin of phrase rather than the actual issue. I refer to your excitement as expressed over “racism”. That’s so typical of you people who live with your head buried up your arses.

        The EU is a horror story and only an idiot would want to touch it for any longer than necessary. The very thought of being dictated to by these old German greedy bastards is beyond comprehension.
        Tell me, is your Stockholm Syndrome curable?

      6. Geraldine (if that is your name) your ignorance shines.
        Firstly – Somalia is not in the EU and as such the government has complete control over whether to let them in or not. Free movement only applies to EU citizens.
        Secondly – The EU does have a repatriation clause that means that anybody not finding work within three months can be sent back. Ask them why they didn’t sign up to it? Other EU countries did! It’s your arse talking.
        You talk utter twaddle. I suggest you crawl back to your rabid right-wing buddies, your racist, fear-ridden nationalists and build a big wall. Isolation might be a cure for your paranoia.

  4. Namaste Opher 🙂

    Thank you! As I said last time you posted these photographs, Scotland is an incredibly beautiful land with some of the most majestic vistas in the world. The opening photograph is quite simply breath-taking – where is that exactly? It’s very easy to see why Scotland remains a popular holiday destination for so many who arrive there from all over the world. It must also be one of the best places in the UK to experience a sense of wilderness. I cannot wait to return! 🙂

    Enjoy your evening. Namaste 🙂

    DN

    1. Your welcome to return. Just bring your money and leave that nasty plastic bottle in England.

      1. Canny hen! Now you’ve put the ‘laugh’ back into McLaughlin, I might just think about it 😉

        Live in Love, Go in Peace. Namaste 🙂

        DN

      2. Thank you. I intend to. In fact I am planning a trip around the isles with a couple of mates. I’m sure we’ll have a great time and make a bunch of new friends.

    2. I’ll have a check to see if I have a record of where this was taken Dewin. It was a long trip and we visited heaps of wondrous places.

      1. Namaste Opher 🙂

        Thank you, I’d be interested to know.

        I still say it would look great framed and hung someplace close to your desk as an evoking reminder of your travels. The colours are so rich and vibrant it’d light-up even the dullest day.

        Namaste 🙂

        DN

      2. Cheers Dewin. Yes it is one that I particularly like. I have a number that I really like and was tempted to turn my hand to producing framed photographs for sale. But the writing takes precedence.
        Have you started Conexion yet? I’d like some candid thoughts.

      3. You are widely travelled Opher and I imagine your archive contains many photographs that please the eye…perhaps you have a wall available in your family home that could be dedicated to such images?

        I understand completely about writing taking precedence. I was suggesting at prints for your own amusement and delectation.

        This weekend I’ll have chance to salvage items packed in the move to keep about me before the remainder goes into short-term storage elsewhere. I will of course be careful to ensure your book remains close-by. All being well, I’ll start reading tomorrow evening. I promise to be candid: honest and unmerciful! lol 😀

        Namaste 🙂

        DN

      4. Dewin – I have often thought about doing such though never got round to it. Maybe one day. It would be nice to surround myself with memories. At the moment is nearly all family – which is nice.
        I look forward to hearing your cutting barbs – they might sting me into action. At present I am editing the two Sci-fi novels I wrote after Conexion.

      5. Being surrounded by family sounds perfect 🙂

        Cutting barbs! lol 🙂 You are prolific without my input, but I thank you for saying so. Reading Sci-fi is a relatively new experience which I really am looking forward to and what better place to start than with your book.

        I was telling a family member about the number of books you’ve written and can report they were highly impressed by such a quantity. I’m hoping it inspires them to pick-up-the-pen and crack-on. Like you, they also have an affinity for words and writing.

        Good luck with the editing. I find it a difficult task in that one must remain unemotionally attached to the process when the book was written with great care and consideration. I wondered if you might continue to use the services of an editor for all future publications?

        Namaste 🙂

        DN

  5. Beautiful photos, Opher. I was brought up in Glasgow and lived for a few years in the Highlands (near Glencoe). I then moved down to the North-East of England and have never regretted it. We have lovely, friendly people here and gorgeous countryside.

    1. My experience too Ellem. I love the North East of England too. Another beautiful region. My daughter lives there. I like Scotland and Scottish people.

      1. Yep, I have to agree, especially Glaswegians who are some of the friendliest people in the world … not that I’m biased. 😀 I haven’t been back to Glasgow since my ‘wee Granny’ died in the 1980s, but I’ve re-visited Edinburgh many times … one of my favourite cities!

      2. I found Edinburgh and Glasgow great vibrant places and met some really friendly people. Fortunately most Scottish people seem to be welcoming and accepting of the English. They take us as we are. We had some great parties. It helped that my friend Pete is a brilliant musician.

  7. I cannot wait for my trip to Scotland..I am chasing the megaliths and hunting for stone magic…. Fortunately for me, rock doesn’t run very fast… so, I think I’ll make it just in time!

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