reflections – The Rambling Sloth 🦥

The best part about not drinking is the time you get at the weekends, before anyone else is up… the roads are quiet, the beach is empty, the sea is calm, well not always obviously, but it was today.

Elly had messaged me on Thursday to ask if I was free to do a sea dip with her this morning. One thing led to another and it ended up being for sunrise (which is no mean feat at this time of year!) and in wetsuits, one of which Elly had to buy quickly! I don’t think I could go in without a wetsuit. I find the cold completely breathtaking in a wetsuit. Hats off to anyone who does that length of time without one!!

I woke at 2.30am to find my period had started.

Oh joy… that explains yesterday afternoon’s lethargy!

Elly was picking me up at 5.30am. I slept on and off between 2.30 and the alarm at 5.

The beach was empty.

There was only one other car parked with no people to be seen at all…. Turns out it was 2 girls from the Fit Body Farm, out for a run, as we saw them when they came back!

Ready to go in selfie. We couldn’t have picked a better day or time. The water was perfect.

I’ve always been told when you’re new to it, you should ideally go at high tide, when then wind is less than 5mph and coming from the east. That way you don’t get carried away from shore. you know how I like to follow a “rule” 😂

The conditions were just perfect.

The sun was just starting to rise.

Morning!!!

I love the colours in this next simple photo. The pinks and lilacs opposite the sunrise or sunset are always lovely.

It feels like we are really far out but that’s only because it’s so shallow.

I’ve found a hole in my wetsuit… I got an extra cold dip this morning!

Love these ripples in the water.

And again!

We stayed in roughly 20 minutes which is more than enough for me in this temperature. We both started to get cold at the same time.

I’m so chuffed with the photos this phone takes. The colours are so real.

The ripples seem real.

It’s forecast to be cloudy today.

We headed up and got dressed as quickly as we could. Hands and toes are always the coldest parts. It’s important to get them warm as quickly as possible. We went for a walk along the beach to warm up once we were dry. My dry robe looks like a dress!! It is a bit big now 😂

I’ve just noticed the heart shaped stone at our feet. The sun is rising fast but it’s still not even 7am.

I just had the best time. I’ve missed sea “swimming”.

For so long it’s seemed like too much hassle. Isn’t that ridiculous? When something you love seems like too much hassle.

I‘m so grateful to Elly for asking me to go today and bringing the sparkle for wild swimming back!

We were home for the back of 7 and it felt like lunchtime!!

I went for a warm shower and then Craig and I sat in the back garden, in the sun, for a coffee.

Look at Queen Khaleesi lying in the middle of the flower bed!

She’s loving the sunshine. It’s still nowhere near as warm as it looks!

We then headed back to Braehead so I could upgrade my Fitbit to an Apple Watch.

I only went for the SE because it’s the base model and is half the price of the Apple Ultra. It does everything I need it to do. It means I don’t need to carry my phone all the time. I say that and then imagine not being able to take a photo!!! Wonder how long it will be before the watch takes photos?!? ⌚️😂🤦🏻‍♀️📸

So back home and straight out to pick Gayle up for a wee lunch out. We were heading to Luss for lunch, but at the last minute turned in to Bowling to head to the gift shop called Paton Parcels.

Would you believe we drove straight into the Glasgow Kilt Walk!! There were people everywhere…. Our worst nightmare!!!

We had a sandwich with tea and cake in the Paton’s coffee shop. The radio was blaring, we could hardly hear to talk. It really wound up my anxiety for some reason…. Maybe it was that and the millions of people.

The Bowling Harbour was really pretty. The reflections were lovely.

The water didn’t move at all.

We walked down to the side of the Clyde and it was fairly calm too. There’s an old jetty out in the water, it was picturesque.

Looking back up to the Erskine bridge that we just drove over. if you zoom in to this shot, those two vertical posts are in the foreground and not part of the bridge. How random.

It was really cold so we didn’t hang around long.

We had a wander around the canal.

More reflections.

My friend helen will be so proud… she’s the queen of reflections!

It’s hard to believe there are thousands of kilt walkers milling around here… you can see some of them on this bridge!

I’ve been home since 3 and it’s still only 5pm. This is the longest day! I love getting up early.

There is a fair bit of anxiety today. I do wonder if it’s caffeine instead of decaf coffee maybe, by mistake…. That’s what it feels like, nothing more, just a jitteryness… I made that word up. 😂

I’ve had a great weekend but really desperate for some heat to that sunshine. ☀️☀️

Stay safe everyone ☀️☀️☀️

I need to find a better describing word than Wow. It seems so underrated when I use it so often. But wow….. what an amazing day so far and it’s only 2pm.

I slept really well. The warmth, the cathartic sound of the diesel heater or the progesterone induced sleep did the trick. The diesel heater was on all night and it was a bit warm at one point, but I did wake up to ice on the inside of the windows, despite that.

I looked for Aurora at 2.30am but decided I was far too chicken to go out on my own in the pitch black. Not sure why I’m scared of the dark?!? Will need an Aurora buddy to go Northern lights tracking!

At 6.30am the sky was turning a pinky blue shade. The sun didn’t actually come up over the Pap of Glencoe for a while after that. The light was stunning as it hit some of the mountains.

I had taken my running gear and was desperate to go for an early morning dog jog sans dog! I mean, who even am I these days?!? Do I need to rebrand The Rambling Sloth as The Jogging Photographer?!?! 😂 doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?!?

I have no idea how I am going to sort through the gazillion photos I have taken today.

I ran from the Invercoe campsite down to Glencoe and then back up to the Glencoe Lochan again. Running felt good.

This mornings mood was all about reflection. Not a ripple in the sea or the Lochan. Everything was a reflection.

I am in my element. I am blown away but the beauty I see. I even giggle to myself, have a look around to see if anyone else is there… and go hug a tree!!!!

I ran right around the Lochan and back down to the campsite.

There were even a couple of wildlife shots!

I was out for about an hour and a half. It was bitterly cold. Even the seaweed was frosty but it was so exhilarating.

I feel an excitement bubbling through my veins…..all the time….. I have found something that makes me truly happy. A husband who is happy to let me go away, if he doesn’t want to and a real passion for writing and taking photos of beautiful nature. I could not have picked a better few days to come away. I have been so full of joy for two days, it’s so lovely.

This is the view from the van. Honestly it’s out of this world.

I had a shower… forgot deodorant but that doesn’t seem to have been as issue for me today. It’s so beautiful but FREEZING!!

I made myself a decaf coffee and headed down to the water.

I sat on a rock and watched the word stand still for a while. My bum got very numb on the cold rock but the sun is warm.

I got Abbie all packed up and put everything away in its place before heading down to Oban.

I can’t explain my connection to Oban, this little coastal town by the sea. Craig thinks that I picked up dads love of a CalMac ferry here and that’s why I love it so much.

It’s such a transient town. So many people are headed out to the islands. There are lots of English accents here today. Think there’s a coach tour in. I love nothing more than siting watching the ferries coming into port and heading out again.

I can see 3 as I sit on a bench by the sea, writing this.

Ok they’re dots on the horizon but I know they are there 😆

As soon as I got to Oban I headed to the Oban Chocolate Company. I was going to say you can visit Oban without going there… of course you can… but it’s a very decadent treat! I broke my 17.5 hour fast with a delicious rich oat milk hot chocolate with a little pot luck of choccie goodies to go with it.

I then had a wander round the harbour and a couple of shops before sitting down at the water to write. And breathe in the sea air.

It’s 2.30pm and I really need to make a move to head home. Craig’s had a lovely day in the sun too. Think it’s maybe warmer at home than it is here.

I feel like I have had the best form of reset. I’ve been SO lucky with the weather and I’m so pleased that I came this far. I might not get away in the van until the end of June now.

Right.

Moving.

Back to the van.

Of course I had to stop on the way. It was the most beautiful drive down. I stopped at Inveruglas as there are stunning views of Loch and Ben Lomond.