The Dog's Balls

The title; no I'm not talking in crude street jargon; and it will become clearer.

It has been another sparkling day of razor sharp sunlight here in Lochaber and L our oldest son suggested a trip to the beach at Morar. "The Beach" is really an inappropriate term because in reality beautiful silvery white sand borders the coast line pretty much all the way from Kinsadel bay to Arisaig. The choice of what part you visit is determined by how far you want to travel on foot and away from nearby public road. It isn't just the beach that attracts. The view from here must be one of the finest anywhere on the west coast. The Cuilins on Skye, Rum and Eigg form the distant horizon.
Our drive there of course required a quick walk stop at Callop (near Glen Finnan and birthplace of Connor MacLeoad) to give the dogs a short run out. As if to remind us that this is still February the shadowy bank of the forest track was rimmed with icicles.

Ahead of departure L asked M about taking some of the dog toys, a handfull of well chewed or punctured balls. Concerned at their possible loss L was reluctant to take them but M said realistically enough if one gets lost, or more likely stolen by another dog, then it wouldn't really matter.

The section of beach we chose is one that we know well and often empty given the slight effort required to get there from the road. It was idyllic today and the sun light was dazzling off the water and white sand. The dogs had great fun running after their toys and splashing in the waves.

Our play time over we were loading the guys back in to the boot and I asked L where the balls were. There had been other dogs about and apparently L was worried about retrieving them as we turned around. Taking M's advice a little literally the excuse was that it didn't matter if they got lost. In terms of litter I had explained we wouldn't even leave a banana skin behind us. I hope they have indeed been retained by someone else's dog rather than become unsightly beach litter.

Anyway, I didn't go with the icicles shot. This is the beach at Morar. I apologise in advance for that crazy flare but the perception of the glare to the human eye is much as the camera has actually conveyed here.

Perhaps the beach, on a day like this, is indeed the Dog's......