Possil Marsh wildlife reserve

Possil Marsh is just across the main Glasgow Milngavie road from Summerston, on the northern edge of Possil Park suburb. Central Scotland, lots of powerlines. This is looking South across the loch.



And looking North.



And here is a slightly anxious Daniel in the scrub. There is a simple hard surfaced track around the reserve but only one or two places where you can work in to the scrubland and nowhere you can access the water's edge without waders.



And on the meteorite plaque



(no, it's not the meteorite itself!)



Tufted Loosestrife



Burr of some sort



Kidney Vetch just in bud



Dog Roses by the Forth and Clyde canal



Water Lilies in the canal



And a mayfly on the tow path



Then back to the reserve for some forget-me-nots



Orange Hawkweed



And what is probably a Pyramidal Orchid, if it was fully opened

Lawn sprinkler!

This is just amazing. I have no objection to lawn sprinklers. I have no problem with green lawns. I'm just gobsmacked that anyone might NEED a lawn sprinkler in Glasgow. This is just not something I ever expected to see. Amazing!

Green Alkanet as a roadside weed in Strathblane



Forget-me-nots in the grounds of Ballagan House. I notice the house is for sale, slightly outside my league...



Wild Garlic in the same area. Yes, it smells of garlic



The West side of Ballagan Glen with a slightly wider angle lens on the new camera. Still can't find any of the fossils which are common.



There is very little water coming down the burn at the moment so I decided for a scramble up the stream bed rather than working round through the woods. It's fairly dry but very, very steep. And a bit bouldery



The Spout from just below the last boulder scramble. Bit of a boot full of water and some interesting moves to get up to the base of the Spout!



Got to the base of the fall



View of the Spout from the side as you go on to scramble out of the valley along the foot of a vertical wall (the extension of the shelf which makes the drop) until you get to a very steep wooded slope turning to bracken as you climb. Bracken won't be long in getting to be a real nuisance now



Then up to the open valley and the swimming pool. Yes, it's freezing in June, it's too deep to touch bottom in the middle and there is no great demand for a swimming costume



On the way back down I noticed that sheep don't seem to eat wild Pansies



And that there are still occasional Lesser Celandines in flower, though most of the brilliant yellows are now from the non related Greater Celandines

Bo'ness steam railway

Steam train at Bo'ness. A bit wobbly at the start as I was moving back, away from the gate, because it looked like the steam cloud was going to be a bit all enveloping. Driver shut it off well before he got to me..... Needn't have budged!

West Highland Way wildflowers

Wildflowers on the West Highland Way just north of Strathblane.

Butterwort:


Ladies Smock


Greater Celandines


As always the view to Dumgoyne