Loch Marlee on a dreich March day

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day, which was why we went pike fishing on dull, dreary Sunday. After a very early catch (see above right), there was great optimism that more would follow. Unfortunately the fish refused to bite and that was it for the day. Bring on the warmer Spring weather when the fish will become more interested in our bait. Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub:

Winter walk

It was a beautiful day for walking today, with what may have been the last of the cold spell. If you wrap up well, cold-weather walking in Scotland can be a very satisfying experience. You see views that are normally hidden by trees. The middle photo shows Marlee Loch in the distance. It was probably named for the lime-rich sediments (marl), which were dredged and used on fields as fertiliser for acidic soils. Marlee Loch is part of the chain of Lunan Lochs, and further upstream is the Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Centre, where a breeding pair of ospreys often returns in the spring, and stays the whole of summer to raise their new chicks. The photo on the right shows a field that has been ploughed in readiness for drills of tatties.

Winter Walk	Marlee Loch	Ploughed field

Loch Clunie

clunieisland
Originally uploaded by framboise.

A wintry shot over ploughed fields to the local loch at Clunie. There are plenty of good fishing spots around the loch. The fields are all ploughed in a state of readiness for sowing in spring, hence the brown foreground.