WALKING ON WATER

First day out after a period of illness this week. It was the Professor's turn to be ill today, so I headed to Muirshiel on my own and instead of my usual romp up Windy Hill I headed for the disused Barytes Mine . It's a 5 mile round trip to the mine and there's not a huge amount to see when you get there, apart from some forbidding gates and warning signs. But it was a pleasant walk nevertheless, being escorted by the wheatears and sung to by the skylarks.

These pond skaters are awkward wee blighters to photograph. Nearly landed in the drink myself trying to get this image - and I don't think surface tension would have saved me.

I had no idea why barytes was important until today. If you are using some high quality paper, painting a wall, keeping an oil rig running or having a camera passed up your colon - there is a good chance barytes is involved.