Loch Sween, Argyll, Scotland

**Redshank** · 7th January 09, 07:50 AM

Yesterday, was a cold damp day, not at all good for photography, but I just had to get out again with the camera, if only for a wee drive.
So we headed out for a short drive down by the shores of Loch Sween, a sheltered sea loch on the west coast about 1 mile south of where I live,
About a quarter of a mile from my house, is the cute wee kirk at Bellanoch, sitting halfway up in the hills that enclose a marina on the Crinan Canal,
the kirk looks out across the marina, the canal and Loch Crinan and across the Mhoine Mor (know locally as the moss)

Bellanoch Kirk

My trusty steed for the day was my little Fiat, I left the Jeep at home as I didn't intend to be driving off the beaten track

Thats Loch Sween heading off into the distance, on the spit of land just above the car roof, you can make out the ruins of Castle Sween, now cared for by Historic Scotland, but now situated in the grounds of Loch Sween holiday park, hundreds of static caravans surround it, some are rented out during the summer months to tourists, some are privately owned as holiday homes.
During the summer months when the trees are in full leaf it's fairly well hidden and is not the blot on the landscape that some are, anyways, this time of the year the place is deserted so I took the oppertunity of taking a few photo's of the castle, minus the summer tourists.

There, saved me writing a brief history on the castle

Castle Sween from the north shore

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/L1020565.jpg

Detailed history

View from the south

The north west tower,

Arty farty shot from the north west tower overlooking loch sween

view across Loch Sween where it joins the Sound of Jura, to the Isle of Jura, the paps cloaked in low cloud

From here it was a short drive back home to sit in front of a nice warm fire and long for the warmer weather to come

**IRISH** · 7th January 09, 07:54 AM

excellent photos. thanks for sharing them.

**Jock Scot** · 7th January 09, 08:20 AM

Great pictures Chris and it does not look as cold as it is up here!

**Redshank** · 7th January 09, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Great pictures Chris and it does not look as cold as it is up here!

Aye Jock, we benefit from the Gulf Stream, a few degrees warmer on the west coast, the cold is a damp one though, i would prefer a crisp dry cold

**7 miles** · 7th January 09, 08:39 AM

Very cool pics thanks for sharing.

**The Vicar** · 7th January 09, 09:06 AM

Wonderful photos.

Thanks for sharing with us the beauty of Loch Sween.

The Kirk is by far the most beautiful of the photos but that may be my bias. : )

Keep up the good work!

"V"