Scotland’s Floods scupper photography adventure
A Soggy Scottish Adventure
For a photography blog, this isn’t going to be very photograph-y. It was supposed to be all about landscape photography and travel photography and all the fun times that were had on the journey. Sadly and soggily, plans changed.
It’s my birthday this month, and we went on a little early holiday in the camper van to celebrate. We hoped to see some beautiful places, get some lovely photos, see more stars, maybe even see the Northern lights. Popular among landscape photographers, hikers and sightseers alike, and famed for its stunning views and vistas, the Loch Lomond area was our destination. Besides the promise of peace and tranquility and the rich opportunities for travel and landscape photography, that particular area of Scotland is famed for its decisively moody weather. We’d checked the forecast: A bit of rain, but nothing major…
Dumfries & Galloway
The trip started well, and we set off to Dumfries & Galloway for the first night at a gorgeous little place called Red Squirrel Campsite. On the outskirts of Galloway Forest Park, it’s a fantastic spot for travel and landscape photography lovers to start from. Though they were actually shut for the weekend, they kindly welcomed us for the night, and we grabbed a jar of their excellent honey before we left, a sweet addition to our supplies.
I remember chatting to the owner before we left and her saying something about rain, but we both agreed: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.”
Oh the irony.
Three Lochs Forest Drive, Stirling
For the next night, in search of more luscious landscapes and succulent scenery, we decided to find a place to camp on the Three Lochs Forest Drive via Duke’s Pass, a little way East of Loch Lomond. Duke’s Pass is a truly stunning stretch of road, running through some of the most scenic parts of the Trossachs, it’s regarded as one of Britain’s best drives. Though a landscape and travel photographers dream, the light was fading and we needed to make camp. We pressed on through a little drizzle, and the spot we found on the Forest Drive was possibly the most beautiful place we’ve ever pitched up in.
I took the chance to take a stroll with my camera and see what the world offered. It was generous, and opportunities for travel photography at camp and the stunning landscapes at every turn were exciting to say the least.
That evening though, it really started to rain…
…and rain.
Thanks to a whole night of rainfall, in the morning the woods were alive with a lattice of little babbling streams, and the colours of the world around us adopted that saturated feel that only being actually literally drenched can give, offering a landscape with a palette to excite any photographer. Scotland is certainly as stunning in the wet as the dry, presenting unique challenges and opportunities, but you must be prepared for everything.
After giving the dog a quick and soggy walk we checked the weather forecast. There had been a development overnight, and we were right in the middle of a flood warning, with ominous headlines warning of watery armageddon. It was at this point my camera went back in its bag, which is where it sadly remained. Better safe and dry than damp and sorry.
We hit the road, and just in time.
Aberfoyle
As we piled into the van and made our way out of the woods, the lovely little streams whose beauty had so recently captivated us had become rivers intersecting the track, growing to gushing torrents with sections of the road completely underwater.
It was a white-knuckle drive to get out of there, and as we emerged with relief from Three Lochs Drive, we scanned the map for the safest route out of there. The best bet seemed southwards to the nearest village, back over Dukes Pass, so off we went.
That famously beautiful road was now dangerously damp, with long stretches of it submerged and the water visibly rising. Looking back I believe that any later and we wouldn’t have made it out of there.
We got to Aberfoyle and were met with a worrying sight. The only way out (apart from the road we’d arrived on) was waist deep in water. The village Co-op a lonely island in a newly formed loch.
We found what we thought was a hotel (though it turned out to be a holiday rental) and parked up on the ample drive. It was at this point we discovered the van had sprung multiple leaks, so we covered as much of it as possible in a tarpaulin. The people staying there didn’t mind - particularly given the circumstances - so we damply settled down to wait it all out.
In the meantime, the owners of the holiday rental instructed their visitors to kick us out.
Go Ape
Faith in humanity severely undermined and at a bit of a loss, and with nowhere to park a van in the village, we ended up alone in the entrance to an abandoned Go Ape. With dwindling battery and water supplies, all on our own in the pitch black night and pouring rain, it felt a bit like the set-up to a horror/thriller movie. It was a largely sleepless and very cold night as two humans and a dog huddled together for warmth.
Even Maya, with her boundless waggy enthusiasm, seemed a bit sick of it all.
The morning brought a little respite from the rain, and the arrival of a fiery-haired angel by the name of Moira, who worked for the Scottish Forestry Commission. She’d come to check on the Go Ape centre, but she dug out a map and gave detailed annotated instructions on how to get out. It turned out the new village lake had drained enough to allow a careful exodus.
I can’t thank her enough. She provided humanity and hope at a time that felt all but bleak. Sadly - being a bit knackered and frazzled, we forgot to get her photo.
A winding route south, negotiating the many “Road Closed” signs led us a cafe for lunch. Coffee At The Wilsons in Strathblane was amazing. Possibly the best pie I’ve ever had!
New Lanark Mill
We decided to end the holiday (a loose definition) on a high note, so we spent the last night in New Lanark Mill Hotel. It’s right next to what had become a roaring torrent of a river. That sound turned out to be a little triggering given the previous few days, leading to a few suddenly-waking-up-in-a-panic-in-the-middle-of-the-night moments, but despite that, it was the right decision and such a relief. I’m not sure if I’ve ever been so affected by a simple shower.
With a quick swim in the hotel pool and a stroll to up to the swollen Falls Of Clyde, we set off home, which was a very welcome sight.
Home
Despite everything, Maya wasn’t ready to end the holiday.
With the pervasive moisture in the van, my camera largely stayed in its bag, and with electricity scarce too, phone batteries were kept for emergencies rather than photography. I feel like I should apologise for the lack of photos really. In such a beautiful part of the world, with such unusual events happening all around us, perhaps I should have taken more. But I suppose we were a little distracted.
