48 Comments

Wow. I'm so impressed by your landscape. And the snow definitely adds another dimension. You have also captured a natural phenomenon in your shots of frozen Loch Druim Suardalain. These are called ice stars and they require very specific atmospheric conditions to form. I captured a few near my home in eastern Ontario last March. https://johncharlton.substack.com/p/lake-stars-and-ice-circles - That's interesting about "Edie." Looks like a good movie. I've bookmarked it and will watch either tonight or tomorrow. Great to know the location.

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Thanks, John. And thanks for the info about the ice stars. I thought they had a galactic appearance when I spotted them.

From your post you linked to, it sounds like you have similar weather to us.

Hope you enjoy the movie 🙂

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I think we might be a wee bit colder than you are. When the snow comes, it usually stays until at least early to mid March, but that's also the month we get big snow storms of a foot or more at a time. The average temperature here in January is -2C for a high and -12C for a low. The movie was really good. I just have one question. How did she get down? Looks like a very challenging climb. I love the mostly treeless landscape of the highlands. My Mother's Connell family were Scots but that's going back to the late 1700s when, as far as I can tell, they left Paisley for America. My Dad's family originates from the borders, but my Grandfather Rev. Robert Charlton (1882-1956) escaped a life in the mines about 1905 when he moved to Canada to become a Methodist Minister. His last post before coming over was in the Shetland Islands. My Great Grandfather W.B. Charlton (1855-1932) was a union leader in the Durham coalfield and a pioneer of the aged miner homes. He counted among his friends, Peter Lee (1864–1935) and John Wilson MP (1837–1915). He started in the mines at 8 and rose to represent the above ground workers, enginemen, boilerminders and firemen across Durham. He wrote a 50 year history of his organization in 1925. He was Secretary of the organization for many years and Treasurer for many years before that. They could make a grand movie about his life.

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Yes, it sounds like you are colder. The cold snap we've just had is unusual. We don't get as much snow as we used to; a likely product of climate change.

I've never climbed Suilven. I understand it's a tough one especially as there is a long walk in and out. I have no idea how Edie got down!

My parents were from Co Durham - my family tree is full of agricultural labourers and miners. Is you Gt Grandfather Charlton related to the footballing Charltons? I take it Peter Lee is the man the town Peterlee is named after? A film about your grandfather would be very interesting.

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A question I get asked alot. Not directly related to the footballers, but the surname can be traced back to the era of Border Reivers at Hesleyside Hall, which is still in the Charlton family, near Bellingham. Yes, the town of Peterlee was named after him. All of these men are memorialized on banners carried in The Big Meeting, although the ones my great grandfather is on have been retired in recent years due to their fragile condition.

I suppose a film about my grandfather's life would be interesting too. There is a dramatic love story in that family when my grandparents went to England with my father(6) and uncle(2) to manage Westgate Hall in Newcastle, basically a very large shelter/infirmary. Taking a short break from that, they went to Durham City to visit Robert's parents. It was there that my grandmother Helen Lottie Good, only 29 at the time, passed away from an undiagnosed heart ailment. The Reverend then married a childhood friend who was herself a Deaconess, to keep the children out of an orphanage, and returned to the Prairie Provinces in Canada to face his in laws and to carry on with his ministry there. The couple later moved to Quebec and had a long standing ministry at the United Church in Shawinigan Falls.

Of course, Edie got down the same way she got up, by helicopter. It's all in the credits. It would have been the only way to access the remote locations with cameras and crew, but that's probably a whole other story. I'd love to climb it, but think I would likely satisfy myself with some less strenuously acquired vistas. A helicopter sounds like a great idea though.

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You can't beat how family history twists and turns - always an interesting subject.

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Wow - some beautiful images Lynn, what an inspiring landscape you live in!

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Thanks, Lin. I have to pinch myself sometimes that this is all on my doorstep 🙂

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Lynn!! I don't even need to say how envious I am do I... your photos are staggering!

Especially the trees on the banks of Loch Clair and that phenomenal pink landscape with frozen Loch Droma with An Teallach in the background. I dream of being somewhere to take photos like this, not sure my clothes are up to that sort of cold though, it was -9 c here this morning, below freezing until 15h I thought I might die of cold!

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Thanks, Susie - we were in the right place at the right time, but it doesn't always turn out like that, lol.

It was cold, but, crucially, there was no wind so we didn't have a wind chill factor to contend with. Quite a few layers, a down jacket, hand warmers in my gloves, mitts over my gloves, and wading through snow at times meant that I didn't get cold; in fact at times while walking I was overheating. That doesn't happen often! My fingers got cold very quickly on the odd occasion I removed a glove to use my phone.

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Well done for capturing some lovely light.

The pie shop in Lochinver is the best!

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Thanks, Felicity. We're heading up west again tomorrow so another pie stop may happen 😁

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Ohh Lynn!! Just beautiful!! The morning colour you caught were gorgeous!! Love when it all comes together, ehh!! :).

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Yep, nothing like when everything falls into place!

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very very true!! The pinks you captured were amazing!! and a little bit of alpine glow going too!! :)

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I know - very lucky!

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Beautiful images Lynn and some stunning locations. I am very jealous of the snow as we have only had heavy frosts down here and I am missing the magic that snow brings to the landscape.

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Thanks, Gill. I'm very lucky to have so many amazing locations that are so easily accessible from home. Sadly, all the snow has disappeared; temperatures in double figures and a strong wind have sent it packing.

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These are amazing thank you for sharing

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Thanks, Michael - glad you enjoyed them 🙂

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These photos are stunning! I'm glad you had a chance to get out in the snow. I had some where I live, but it only stuck around for a day.

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Thanks, Erik. I knew I had to get out as it may be the only chance. There’s no guarantee we’ll get any more.

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Ha! Thats a fundamental rule I live by!

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Carpe diem 🙂

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Beautiful scenes.

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Thank you 🙂

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Winter wonder goodness is always fantastic, but Scottish winter wonder is magic. Beautiful pictures!

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Thanks, Aria - it was wonderful to get out and about amongst it all.

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Beautiful photos, a sharing of what it means to be in the moment of ice and light. Where the breaths take on the changing temperature. Gorgeous.

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Thanks, Stacy - far more poetically put than I managed 🙂

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Oh no, you did just what you intended - poetic.

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Stunning photos. Thanks for sharing them, Lynn.

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Thanks - glad you enjoyed them 🙂

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Stunning. Takes us back to our van life days and happy days spent in and around Lochinver. Annoyingly, the pie shop has closed on the day I cycled in a huge loop with pie as my intended prize. Something to look forward to in the future.

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How devastating, Barrie, to find the pie shop shut, especially if the thought of a pie had kept the pedals turning!

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What’s more, JoJo had passed it ten minutes before it closed (she was in the van) and could have provisioned!

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Not much support from the support team there 😂

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Oh, how we laughed! Eventually!

Speak soon

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There's some really beautiful images in your collection there Lynn, what a magical part of the UK. I hope to get there one day. ( Maybe not in winter though).🥶

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Thanks, Ross. Don't worry, winter isn't normally as cold as last week 🙂

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Your photos are magical Lynn. What a contrast to the photos we took together in September! You are so fortunate to have such a choice of locations so near to home so I hope the snow returns and we can see more of your work. Amanda xx

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Thanks, Amanda. It's a huge contrast! I have my fingers crossed we get a bit more snow before Spring arrives 🙂

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That looks fabulous Lynn, what a cold paradise to live in. Amazing snow!

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Thanks, Sarah. I want the snow to come back, lol.

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