Nearly Christmas

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/TLkZCpEl_D/

South southwest with a Nashville filter.

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/TLkNsukl--/

Winters cold pale chill.

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/SyOKa5kl7s/

Happy, feeding cows

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/SyOIc8kl7o/

Missed the Christmas lights switch on at the In laws

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/Ss496Xkl38/

Sliver of light on a mountain top

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/SlecXMkl6B/

Where Ruskin stood

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/Sleb4tEl6A/

A custard sunset; with the naked eye at least

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/SikGFfkl-o/

Through a pane of melted glass

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/SgCg_3El2Q/

Just before home time.

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/Sa25ixEl5i/

Sunset North

During a frenetic London visit I had a go on the London Eye. Timing was spot on for a twilight anti-clockwise big wheel rotation.  A 40 minute queue, a wonder at how deep the pilings are and a marvel at the helical steel cables and we were off.  Virtually throwing the children into our moving pod, video and stills camera out and moments later we were watching the sun setting north across the river..............

No not really, but we were looking across the Thames - to the northern banks thereof - and there was a gorgeous sunset.  Really, we are looking around 253 degrees west at the setting sun, so the river is flowing from left to right in the picture, approximately south to north at this point. Interesting alteration of common paradigm; the north/south London divide.

It also turns out that a college friend of mine is a good friend of Tristan Gooley, goodness me. Here's another pic from the Eye too.

Long Time No ABC

It's been a long time, been a long time, been a long lonely..... lonely time (sic: Led Zeppelin),  but not lonely at all, just eyewateringly busy what with National Park commitments and Intrepid:Scotland business development.  The business development side is a slow process when done outside of a full time job.  We have planned for 3 Intrepid Kids in August and we're hoping to take over the local Forestry Commission Scotland, Halloween event this year, while they refurbish David Marshall Lodge.  As usual in business, we also have a number of the proverbial irons in the fire.

Harry has a private birthday party to showcase some of the bushcraft he's been developing over the summer on Wednesday so best of luck with that: I'm working then, so don't forget to take pictures!

Watching Fabian Cancellara seeking consolation in the arms of his team manager after crashing in the Mens Olympic Road Race.  By the way he was holding his right arm he may have broken his collarbone (no he didn't actually), and his chances of retaining his time trial gold look dented; good news for Bradley Wiggins on Wednesday 1st though.

This weekend I have mostly been eating my efforts from the Forest Education Initiative Scotland Campfire Cookery and Hygiene day atop Kinnoull Hill, Perth.  More, when I have the photos sorted - less than 2 months I reckon eh?  Aye.

First Client

Craig and I had our first major Intrepid Scotland event late last week.  I haven't posted about it before now on account of my stomach being in knots, awaiting the outcome of our application for a bank account; now up and running with a bit of an overdraft facility and awaiting payment for said session.

The day went well, although I'd prefer to say faultlessly for we fountains of great countryside knowledge, answering all questions authoritatively and dripping with anecdote, metaphor and professorial wisdom.  Well, because our clients from that there big city London, didn't ask many questions and merely enjoyed the flawless blue sky weather, sitting in the warm sunshine with zingy, post barefoot walk feet exposed to the SSW fat old sun.  They built their shelters, looked at the red squirrel chewed pinecones and had an unpalateable bite of smoked whitefish (Craig forgot to rinse the salt off prior to cooking - I loved it but was a bit thirsty afterwards).

Having declared they were up for a tramp around the Cardross Estate, I looked back to announce that we would go down to the river to spot Kingfishers.  I looked back.  Tongues were lolling, eyes glazing.  "Let's go to the pub instead, we might see Ospreys" (As suggested by my wife Clare).  I rarely time anything, correctly or otherwise, but that hit the spot.  Courtesy of The Bank (not ours though), we were soon sipping pints and Appletizers (me), in the gardens of the Lake Hotel (Port of Menteith) and watching two pairs of Osprey fishing on the Lake of Menteith.  They were dots really, but they were Osprey and that's all that mattered.

We were joined that day by Harry, a National Park seasonal, who is renting a room from me and is fit and mustard keen as only a 21 year old chap can be.  He fitted right into the Intrepid way and made fire, talked more plant lore that you could shake a stick at and generally went down extremely well with our clients.

Oh dear, lunch time now....................  More later.

"Coming dear."

So Long Solunar

Well, not really so long............. It just sounds like a nice play on words.  Of late I've been checking out solunar (Sol for sun and Lunar for moon), based phone apps.  On the face of it they tell, mostly fishermen and hunters when wildlife activity is likely to be high during any 24 hour cycle. Crudely, if you know the exact time of sunrise and sunset, and moonrise and moonset in a 24 hour period, you have a good indicator of the 4 periods of heightened activity, the solunar periods; 2 minor periods  and 2 major activity periods.

Actually, not necessarily.  Other factors come into play such as weather, latitude and longitude and moon phases.  The sun and moon exert great gravitational force on the earth and I can imagine that wildlife is sensitive to the greater forces found during the full moon, when the sun and moon are opposite each other and the new moon, when the sun and moon combined pull in one direction.  I imagine the deer, the squirrel, the pine marten, the otter feel this stronger gravity exert its inner pull, the starter cord for their instinctive 'engine', a guttural, Id thing.

Now it's quite late and I've started this, oh dear.  Should I wrap up and conclude at another time or carry on half baked?  Oven gloves ready.

• Weather - abnormal weather conditions affect animal and fish behaviour, cold fronts for example drive fish deeper under water and render them inactive.  Maybe warm blooded animals aren't too fussed though, given their fur.  Mind you, it's not a great idea to go looking for red squirrels during strong wind and / or rain.
• Sun and Moon - rise and set tend to exert minor periods of activity.  The major periods of activity tend to occur when the sun and moon are 'in transit' basically overhead (due south of where you are) and underfoot (due north  of where you are) and exercising greater gravitational force.  I think this brings extra considerations into view, those being phenomena such as perihelion and apogee and perigee of the moon. Thoughts and things are starting to get complex now, so just a word for the next one.
• Photoperiodism - the ratio of daylight to darkness on a given day.  The biggest changes in these ratios occurs around the spring and autumn equinoxes, when day length can change by 4 and a half minutes per day.

Words underdone?  Oh well, there are some more resources here:
Solunar Theory
The Real Scoop
How to Calculate Solunar Times

I wonder if Craig makes note of solunar activity when he's fishing.  Must find out.  One thing I do know though is that I'm out at 05:30 am next Tuesday conducting a black grouse lek search - walking the hills above Callander trying to find previously unknown congregations of birds: needles in haystacks.  The good thing is that they'll be quite vocal, so as long as the wind is in the right direction, it's not raining (apparently it won't be), we should see / hear them.  However, the solunar tables indicate that one of the the major solunar periods for the day ends at the same time as our search begins!  And, as the moon will be approximately 90 degrees behind the sun, gravity will be no great shakes.  My Solunar app shows a one out of six for activity on this day.  If by chance it is raining, then I'll bake a little longer in bed.

Intrepid Photography

Now offering intrepid:photography. We can take groups of photographers out on photography safaris, to explore some of the little known eye candy hidden away in the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park.  We can provide expert how-to guidance, but Mr Guidance will have to be booked well in advance.  Just let us know when you'll be coming and what you'll be needing.

Cardross Moss

Moss on Oak Facing North

I spent the last weekend dog sitting at Cardross Estate.  While walking them around the parkland with the kids I came across this oak with what I think is a pretty definitive indicator to all points north.  I did cheat and use a compass to check - perfect and the first branch up on the left is facing east north east.  Being in an area of parkland, our specimen has lots of 'personal' space and is not sheltered from the prevailing south west winds.  A good example of moss growing on the north side of a tree.

Yesterday, Craig and I went up Ben Aan - the small pointed peak, or little mountain - with an entire school (of four pupils).  We were invited to come along (but not lead) on their sponsored walk and were delighted to attend / help out / share some knowledge with this fantastic little Trossachs School.  We took an age to climb its 461 metre ascent - I think it stands at 533m above sea level, having plenty of rest stops, playtimes and 'Craig wants to teach stuff' sessions.  Two hours later and assorted teacher, parents and toddling siblings were at the top surveying a moody vista:

View West Along Loch Katrine

Of course, because I'm not class favourite Ranger, my attempts to talk of the sun being due south at solar midday drove them to navel gaze.  Oh well, the eldest was 8. The parents were interested though!

A Day of Rock and Water

Tomorrow is a day of one part for two Rangers.  I will be heading across Loch Lomond from Ardlui with four volunteers to continue with an ongoing maintenance programme on the West Highland Way.  Our usual boat a Pioner is in for repairs and safety checks, so I'll be commandeering the local ferry to take us - well, I'm not sure yet! Somewhere that it can land us, which is not too far away from Doune Bothy.

I'll be looking at/for the sun, while my four charges clear cross drains and water bars and much as I dislike wearing wellies, I'll take mine along so I can get stuck in too.  Last time I just wore steel toe capped boots and so I rather gingerly had to deep from on high - digging out a drainage ditch a foot below ground level, while standing on the level ground.  Last time was wet!  Tomorrow though the forecast looks ok (look quick though or else you'll be into next week).

Gilbert will be on Conic Hill with just 1 other, doing god knows what to the WHW path there - trying to eke out some dregs of life in it I expect, after the, at least, 30,000 pairs of feet that trudged their way up and down it last year alone.

i think we're both looking forward to our time away for the day though.  Will I remember my camera?

Iridescent Lungwort

Iridescent Clouds, Newburgh

As the kids wanted to see St Andrews during the half term break we found ourselves trundling along the A913 through Newburgh.  It was here that we saw these slightly iridescent clouds off to the southeast.  They look like cirrus clouds to me, framed by stratocumulus.  Occurring close to the sun, cloud iridescence is caused by small water droplets or ice crystals scattering light and is normally seen in thin, transparent newly formed clouds.  However, you can see some iridescence in slightly thicker cloud in the lower left hand corner of the picture.  Not the best example, but it's the first time I've seen it, and I was the only person to stop and observe.

I'm glad I did.  Often, when driving, I see interesting 'stuff' happening in the natural world, but I rarely stop and always regret it.  Interesting, as it's basically my job to get others to stop and sense what is around them.

"Stop..............! back a bit, keep going, bit more, ok".  And she was out the door clambering up the lower slopes of Strath Gartney, along the shore of Loch Katrine.  She stopped by what looked to be a small - maybe 17 metre - Oak with Tree Lungwortl (Lobaria Pulmonaria) growing on the west-southwest side, about 1.5 metres above the ground.  This was a pretty good directional indicator as it likes a wet climate, but this sample was dessicated by the prevailing southwest winds and the tree trunk on that side was a beautiful, uniform pale grey, shining in the sunlight.  Yes, there was moss all around the base of the tree, but while there were just a few centimetres on the southwest side, the northeast trunk had much more coverage.  Promise I'll go back and take a photo soon.

Counting Ducks 2

Looks a bit puny!

One true rangery morning counting wetland birds on Lochs Achray and Venachar - 85 Widgeon - was, not really ruined, by the litter left behind by those desperate to camp out in February.  I had to get on with the job at hand knowing that tonight the foxes and the crows would have a right old time of it, spreading the devastation further afield. 

All this was temporarily forgotten as I noticed the mackrel sky from the window.  Pictures later............

Counting Ducks in the Mizzle & Chill

Craig is out counting ducks today, a day of mizzle and chill.  I have no sympathy for him as I would be happy to do it myself today if circumstances allowed.  Anyway, he's out on Lochs Ard, Dhu, Chon, Arklet and Katrine (ah, no, he's saving the last one for me mostly due to the fact that there is so little wetland bird activity there and Loch Katrine is so big, that he falls asleep), doing a Wetland Bird Survey - WeBS for the BTO.  He should be dropping by for a cuppa later with Gareth (Gathers as I prefer to call him).

Never Finished

Playing around with the templates, colours and designs here and I wonder if I'll ever stop....... Well, no I haven't as I've just changed things again.  And I'm thinking I could have just tweeted my thoughts, what with them being rather brief!

Intrepid Rangers Begin......

Tim Messer & Craig Walker have over 18 years experience between them as Rangers, with just shy of half that time working for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (The Park).  Tim specialises in natural navigation, having been inspired by the men who wrote the books.  Craig is the master of  cool indifference in the face of great fishing - a bit of an expert who designs and ties his own flies, but not obsessed.

Our work as Rangers has lead us to some fantastic experiences and exposure to parts of the Park that visitors rarely glimpse. We want to offer something unusual and intrepid for others to see and enjoy.

We'll be offering a variety of guided walks in and around Central Scotland to begin with, focusing particularly on The Park, because it's our patch and we know it well:

• Ranger guided walks of varying levels, see the unseen parts of the Park - easy, moderate or challenging
• Natural Navigation
• Moonwalks
• Barefoot walks
• Hedgerow foraging
• Bespoke walks

These walks can be for groups of friends, employees, the likeminded - or individuals and we'll adapt to whatever you want to do.

So this blog is a vehicle for Intrepid Scotland  - an independent Ranger Service and for us to share our experiences both in and outside our day to day work.