The Bonnie, Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond

Crafty Green Boyfriend yesterday needed to take a trip to Loch Lomond to test out some electronic recording devices that had been failing in that area and invited me to join him to help out. The weather was lovely and we enjoyed the scenery and wildlife as well as working hard testing out the kit!

Loch Lomond is situated at the base of Ben Lomond, the most southerly of Scotland's Munros (Munros are Scottish hills over 3000 feet (914.4 m)). We walked some of the way up the hill, and enjoyed the amazing scenery

We also enjoyed seeing this peacock butterfly

and the mosses 

 and lichens, this beautiful specimen was growing solely in one patch on one rock as far as we could see

Once we had walked as far up the hill as my vertigo would allow we made our way back down and walked along the shores of the Loch

We found a lovely little beach

where we met a red squirrel who was obviously in a bit of a hurry

It was lovely to see this squirrel, so often in areas like Loch Lomond you might set out with the intention of looking for red squirrels and be disappointed. We on the other hand were really not thinking about them and this one just appeared on the beach and ran directly in front of us and then straight up a tree!