Quickening Heartbeat and a Michael Jackson Pallor

Inverbeg on the West shore of Loch Lomond is our first destination today as we locate a scenic spot to capture an autobiographical film that Emma is compiling to enter in a competition being run by Saatchi to find the ‘Best of British’ artistic talent. Sadly, as we arrive at our location the sun disappears behind a thickening cloud and ideal light conditions are lost as snow clouds gather. Not to be deterred we push on and capture a number of scenes which we have edited and composed and the result can be seen below.

With the ominous weather closing in we abort our scheduled Sunday stroll and take in the scenic splendour of ‘The Rest and be Thankful’ and Loch Fyne via the comfort of the car as we travel to The Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, which has developed from a small shack beside the A83 to a nationwide 49 restaurant franchise. The oysters, mussels and assorted seafood make for interesting viewing but do nothing to enhance our appetite as the ostentatious prices do not match the tired looking surroundings which are clearly aimed at the passing tourist with loose money to spare.

From here we travel to The Drimsynie Estate which dominates the small town of Lochgoilhead on Loch Goil. The main hotel/castle which heads up the estate contains a small swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna which we relax in as the snow comes down at a thickening girth outside. After a simple meal of Scampi and Chips at a price the oyster bar would charge for a starter we realise that the climb out of Lochgoilhead to the top of The Rest and be Thankful is not going to be a journey for the faint hearted as the steep incline has near ninety degree bends towards its summit. The tension in the car is thick and the noise of our quickening heartbeats almost audible as we eventually reach the top with a few gentle skids along the way as our aesthetic pallor matches the whiteout conditions at the top of the peak.

The A82 road along Loch Lomond proves to be no less hazardous as the snow reaches blizzard conditions and we become increasingly irritated at the lack of snow ploughs on the main road between two of Scotland’s major cities, Inverness and Glasgow.

The austere outline of Glasgow never felt as welcoming as it did this evening as the expected one hour journey takes a fretful two hours plus, adding an extra dimension to a day which started in brilliant sunshine.