Just off the Clyde Estuary coast at Largs lies the Isle of Cumbrae, a fairly flat featureless bit of land with a maximum elevation of 417 feet, yet it remains one of the most visited islands on the west coast, especially for day trippers. It’s not very appealing through the winter but on bright warm sunny days like we’ve been experiencing recently, it’s a very convenient way to “get away from it all” without the major expense or time travelling to larger islands such as Arran or Mull.

Just a ten minute crossing on the ferry and you feel like you’re well away from the bustle of civilisation. The ferry drops you off at the top end of Cumbrae and most people then catch the bus to the lower end where lies the only town in the island, Millport. Millport is a classic seaside town stretching round the bay, catching the sun when it chooses to shine. Popular during the 40s and 50s with Glasgow trippers having a day “doon the water” on paddle steamers, it still has an echo of those family days out, paddling on the beach or having an ice cream on the promenade. At this time of year, however, most businesses remained well out of season.

The favourite past time for any visitor is the hour long cycle around the island. I took my own bike and enjoyed the peace and quiet of what is sometimes a very busy circular route. The views were a gorgeous hazy blue towards the distant islands of Bute and Arran, the silence broken only by the occasional seagull’s cry, and made for an excellent way to soak up that long missed sunshine. Unfortunately, by the end of the day, I was somewhat saddle sore (not being used to cycling) and required some delicate sitting positions later that evening.

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Continuing my archive tidying, these are a few scenes from Scotland that I’ve re-discovered. Not sure that I remember these blue skies though.

Tioram Castle

Sea off St Andrews

Rannoch Moor

Near Balfron

Ruthven Barracks

Culross

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It’s been long overdue but I’ve started trying to tidy up my archives of photographs that I’ve collected over the past few years, deleting the ones that I’ll never use, putting the remainder into better order, and putting aside ones that I may come back to. The good part is that I come across photos which, for whatever reason, I seemed to have passed over and subsequently forgot. Found again, I can relive the pleasure of taking them, the memories of the occasions surrounding the moment, and the fun of working on them and posting here.

This selection comes from various trips to the Yorkshire Dales, a part of Britain which I’ve learnt to love for its landscape, architecture and the wonderful sky.

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Anyone driving regularly along the A82 north in Scotland will recognise many familiar sights along the way, plus a few less familiar ones.

One sight that always catches the eye is on the straight stretch in Glen Falloch before Crianlarich, although it can be easily missed as you’re finally overtaking that slow vehicle you’ve been stuck behind at 18mph along the twisty side of Loch Lomond, then narrowly missing the car coming the opposite direction who speeded up when he saw you just so that he can flash his lights, sound his horn and shake his fist in a “You’re a danger to careful drivers like me!” sort of way, forgetting that he didn’t help with his momentary burst of acceleration in the first place. Not that this has ever happened to me *ahem*.

Anyway, back to the point. At this stretch of road, looking to the right, is a vista of plain rugged mountainside, dotted with the occasional tree. Each tree looks like it has been carefully sculpted and placed in precise position rather like an art gallery. These trees, however, are Scots Pines. The original ones, not hybrid copies, they are the sad remnants of the mighty Caledonian Forest which once covered Scotland since the last ice age as majestically as the Black Forest in Bavaria. Only 1% of that forest remains after deforestation and overgrazing, leaving the great sparse landscape that we have today.

I’ve always wanted to stop one day and walk up to these trees and finally took the notion yesterday. Even though there are barely a dozen of them, they still have an air of elegance and strength.

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I’m celebrating a 20th anniversary this month. 20 years of self-employment, 20 years since I decided to ‘go it alone’ after having spent 5 years in an environment where I witnessed, not just in my own workplace but many others, the worst of office politics, cliques, mismanagement, egos and discrimination. Granted, the redundancy following my employers collapse (see mismanagement) helped me in that decision, but so did my desire to have control over my own life.

My friends and family, of course, greeted it with a stunned ‘it’ll never last’ silence, and I’ve always been aware of them waiting to help pick me up after my abject failure. However, while I may not made it to the rich list or Who’s Who, I have at least survived without ever having to declare bankruptcy.

For tax purposes I’ve usually been listed as a commercial artist but my years have seen a very varied career. I started out a a humble artist selling my wares in craft fairs throughout Scotland. I was then asked by an interior designer friend to paint a mural in an Italian restaurant. This was a career move I’d been hoping for as I’ve always had an interest in frescoes and Trompe L’oiel, and so the next decade was spent painting in hotels, restaurants and houses, the best being a villa in an exclusive resort in the Algarve, and the historic country mansion of Whittingehame House, famed for the Balfours and the Balfour Declaration. I also created stained glass effect windows, restored historic wallpaper, as well as graphic design.

Photography has always been part of my work and with the increase of digital photography, I took to this like a duck to water. It is now my main source of work with a large number of weddings and portrait sessions, increasing commercial work and my favourite landscape photography added to my portfolio.

20 years on, I have never once regretted my decision. There have been many times where work has been non-existent, but other times where I have too much. The positives are many. I don’t commute. I work my own hours and don’t need to work late. I take days off when I want. I work at my pace. I can turn away from clients when I know they’ll be more trouble than it’s worth (only had to do that twice). I can change my career choice if I want. And I love it. The negatives are that the work is not steady, and that working from home makes people think that I’m not really doing a real job. Oh, and people want me to work cheaply, if not for free. Otherwise, it’s great. I’m just not sure if I can retire.

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