Loch Linnhe in the gloom

We went to visit Helena's mum for lunch today. She lives in Doura, about twelve miles north up the coast beside Loch Linnhe. The weather had been gloomy and overcast, but as we reached the road to Appin drizzly rain began to fall again.

I drove along the side turning towards Appin as I could see Castle Stalker shrouded in mist with the hills on the far side of Loch Linnhe only just visible. I took some quick pictures in the very dull light to see what the misty conditions would produce, sitting in the car trying to avoid getting the camera and I soaked.

Whilst at Kirsty and Kim's where we stayed most of the afternoon, I walked about a mile down the lane towards the beach at Cuil Bay. The rain had ceased so I took some more pictures across to the Ardnamurchan Peninsular on the far side of Loch Linnhe as there were shafts of light shining through brief holes in the clouds. I liked the way the sea seemed to be shimmering in the distance, with the headlands alternating between shadow and light. It was only when I got back to base that I decided to convert this picture to black and white, as a possible Mono Monday entry. However I've just checked and the theme today is 'smell', so maybe the freshness of the clean sea air of the western highland coastline is a suitable theme.  It was certainly bracing.

On the way home I stopped on the side of the famous hill road leading towards Castle Stalker and took a view looking south towards Oban and Mull again.I will add a picture to the 'Extra photos' later. It is not the normal chocolate box image that tends to get reproduced, especially by me in former times.