Warmer though cloudy today as I drove up to Strontian to meet Tom and Diana for coffee and to talk about the book. The 13 mile drive was over mostly a one-track road through the glen with clouds gently resting on the top of the hills and snow on the peaks in the distance. In spite of the lack of sun it was a beautiful if albeit a moody drive. There were many deer to be seen – a couple of magnificent stags included – but nowhere to be able to stop and get a good photo. One especially gorgeous creature was right on the side of the road but alas nowhere to stop. At one place where I stopped to capture a scene I was delighted to see a couple of stags in the field below.
Returning to Ardtornish from Strontian (where the element Strontian was discovered!) I stopped for a hike in the Rahoy wildlife area. No wildlife but it was beautiful and peaceful. It is thought by some scholars that Morvern was where Somerled’s destiny was realized and it is easy to picture him in these forests of Morvern and along the River Aline. The area today no doubt has been stripped of the rich and thick woods that adorned this part of Scotland in the middle ages but it is no less striking in appearance, even in winter.
