At An End

A journey of a dozen of so miles takes us from a landscape of rounded hills and gentle estuaries to a more extreme one of extended lochs, forbidding slopes, peaks disappearing into a low dense layer of dark clouds, bare scree on the high slopes and countless cascades of water forming long, straight channels down which each stream plunges with indecent haste. The Scotland of Victorian paintings seen in countless hotel dining rooms. Sheep and cattle graze unsafe slopes and unlikely rocky foreshores. It is eagle country but not eagle weather and we must be satisfied with "just a buzzard" or (we think) a harrier. In truth, I'm not sure we were ready for even more spectacle

So many people must have photographed these views with better technique and better technology than mine, so I've picked this one among dozens because I find the colour and the variety and the richness of the scene - at the end of the Loch - very satisfying

There is a plausible scenario that the next decade will see the widespread introduction of 'meat' products based on protein produced by microorganisms, using well understood fermentation technology in factories. This is likely to be cheaper than animal grown meat, and to have the sort of continuous, consistent supply that food manufacturers love. I can't see anything that will stop it happening. 85% of farm land in UK is used for animal production. If cheaper 'meat' is produced in factories, the consequences for that land will be profound.

After a long day in the open air, a hearty meal and a warm fire, its hard to think clearly about all the consequences, but my guess is that this view will change more in the next 10 years than it has since those Victorians brought their easels and canvases. Lucky us to see it now