Speyside Fire

The time of year to go and look at trees has just passed its climax. The pre-dawn skies are storm-rent on the way to work, the stars are out, and silvery, moonlit clouds race across the sky, great masses in the sky ripping in pieces like bits of wet tissue paper. Small branches, leaves still on them, land at my feet.

So where will you go at the weekend to look at the trees? The forecast is reasonable. With the wind loosening the leaves, now is the time to go.

You might choose spacious Glen Affric. Or the stately woods of the Tweed. What about the North Atlantic Rainforest around Argyll and Lochaber, or the perennial favourite, Perthshire?

Or how about Strathspey?

Loch Alvie:


Panorama near Loch Alvie:


A sudden rainbow:


Loch Pityoulish:


Once you've see a bit of Strathspey, it's hard to resist going a little further downstream, away from the foothills of the Cairngorms and into whisky country...

Bridge of Avon:


Whisky barrels:


Glenlivet distillery:


On a cold autumn evening like tonight, a wee dram warms you up nicely.

Speyside fire indeed...