My Highland Travelogue

Welcome to my Highland Travelogue Page.   My passion is to explore the Scottish Highland Upland Lochs. When time permits, I will drive to a remote location, park the car, fasten on my backpack and trusty camera, and trek a few miles to discover a hidden Loch or Lochan. My pleasure is to explore the smaller, hidden Lochs and Lochans, rather than the larger, well known ones that are already well documented. 

I think that certain places are "healing" , and I begin to understand why when I sit by a lonely stretch of water, with nobody and nothing around for miles. So far, most of my expeditions have been in Highland Perthshire, for logistical and economic reasons, but I hope to travel further as time passes. I think that maybe I am frightened that my Highlands are threatened and that they may vanish. Perhaps to record them on photograph is my mission? When I stumble unexpectedley on one of those jaw-dropping views, I have mixed thoughts - firstly, I want to share it with the world, then, when I think on, I selfishly want to keep it all to myself.  Often I just stand a while in wonderment.

I am no scientist, but many of our small inland Lochs and Lochans are in decline.
Each has its own mini eco system, and it is the decay of this that is the problem.
Each eco system is made up of many interactive and interdependent parts - water,sediment,fish,insects,animals,weather. Eutrophication (chemical and acid pollution) is causing serious problems to our smaller Lochs and Lochans that do not get the same level of monitoring and protection as those larger and better known examples adopted by S.E.P.A.
The decline of insect life affects the fish life, which affects the Lochan itself, which affects the bird and animal life.
This then causes (some) of the Lochans to be affected by Algae and Reed cover, which then affects light penetration, photosynthesis and the general "life" of the Lochan goes into a rapid decline.
This is happening now. Already, some of the large Raptors are coming down to road level to find food.

I dont know how long they will be there for us, but I have to record them as they are now.
I hope I am wrong.

Above all, I feel priviledged to be allowed the honour to walk on this sacred land - I am finite, my footsteps will soon vanish, but this wonderful place will stand for millions of years.

I will try to describe my adventures as best as I can and I hope that I can share my wonderful Highlands with you.

"Enjoy Life's Journey, But Leave No Tracks" (Cherokee Wolf Clan, with thanks to Sue)

"Your travelogue helped to influence our choice of destination as your pictures and details are superb and really do give that `get away from it all feeling`- Martin Rutherford

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If you have any questions about the places I visit, please e-mail me and I will do my best to help!

Cardney Loch
Posted by Graham Lumsden (highlandp) on Feb 26 2009 at 6:07 AM
Highland Travelogue >>

I started this trip off under a cloud - I had been reading newspapers and watching news bulletins - crisis after crisis, immenent war in the Middle East, Earthquakes, Monsoons, Starvation.
I was grumpy, fussy, irratable, tasks were fumbled and completed too quickly.
I ended up relaxed happy and mellow - what better way to unwind than a Loch Walk?
I dont know of any.
To reach Cardney Loch, drive to Dunkeld and take the Blairgowrie Road.
Go up past the golf course.
Loch O' The Lowes is on your right -  a great place to stop and have a look at the Ospreys nesting.
You then pass Craiglush Loch by the roadside, and a few hundred yards beyond you will come to a layby that is partly closed off.
Turn in here and park.


The path heads North West and is flat for a few hundred yards.


Then you begin a stiff climb through wonderful mixed woodland.
This walk is a hidden gem - its every bit as good as The Hermitage.
The trees are many and varied.


The ingress is short - only 3/4 of a mile or so and you reach the Loch on your left.
There is a Boat House and a Pavilion.
The Lochside is very overgrown and care must be taken in placing your feet.







I set up a quick camp on the East shore and took the required photos before the light changed.


Then I returned and got a scratch fire going.


Lunch was sausage, mushroom, tomato and bacon, fried in a little butter.
When almost cooked, I added some boiling water, an Oxo Cube, and a satchet of Tomato Ketchup and left it to simmer whilst I poured a cup of tea.
As the sauce thickened, I toasted a slice of bread on the end of my knife and had a yummy feed!






My missus texted me to say she was getting the bus to Dunkeld, so I broke camp and set off back down the trail and drove back to Dunkeld to meet her, where we had some tea in a local Tearoom.
Like I said earlier, Cardney is a hidden gem.
I saw thousands of Cranefly, and some of those lovely Emerald Blue Dragonfly.
Many fish were throwing themselves at the miriad of surface fly.
The only large Fauna I saw was a small deer in the distance.
I love this Loch!
Please leave me a message or story!

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