Walking With You / Loch Leven

[Jif]

This is a video montage of photos my wife Janice and I have taken over the years at one of our favourite places to walk, Loch Leven in Fife, Scotland. I put a wee tune together for it, featuring my Weissenborn Acoustic Lap Steel Guitar, my MSA Legend XL Pedal Steel Guitar and my Cordoba Classical Guitar. All the stringed instruments are going through a Fractal FM3 modeller/effects unit.

As well as being a beautiful location, there is a lot of history with this Loch. At present, it is a bird sanctuary where many rare birds can be seen. Every year it is a stopping place for migrating geese. In one photo, you will see some geese in a field with a small Castle on an island in the background. This Castle is where Mary Queen of Scots was held captive and temporarily escaped from before she was recaptured and executed by Queen Elizabeth 1st of England. There are boat trips to the island.

There are 2 photos of a Heron, in the 2nd photo it has a brown trout in its beak. Our son Rowan captured the Heron catching the trout on video. The Loch is stocked with the original brown trout native to the Loch. Getting a fishing permit for the Loch is limited however, and can only be obtained if another member leaves. It is boat fishing only with fly, no shore or bait fishing is permitted. However, some trout escape into the River Leven, which exits the Loch, and permits can be obtained for the river.

There are a number of photos of a land feature locally known as the Sleeping Giant for obvious reasons. The local Council recently laid a path around the whole Loch, which is approximately 13 miles. The photos in this video only show a small part of this walk.

Hope you enjoy it.

[Uncle Roy]

Thanks Geoff, very enjoyable, lovely part of the country, I doubt that I shall never get there now, lucky you.

[Jif]

Thanks Roy. Yeah, some nice places up here, we're lucky to have them on our doorstep. A lot of nice places down south as well. I'm kinda in the same position these days, travelling is hard. As my next door neighbour Bill keeps reminding me - "Old age doesn't come by itself"

The good thing about the walk at Loch Leven for me, apart from the scenery, is that it's pretty level all the way around. Most walks up here involve some kind of climbing up hills

Take care

[Donny Johnston]

Really nice Geoff, the sound track is very nice and does not interfere with the photographs, but compliments them. Well done that man. Best to Janice. Donny.

[Jif]

Thanks Donny. All OK here, Janice looks after me, I don't know what I've done to deserve her. Hope you are both well and you are still able to get out playing these days. Pass on my regards to the boys at Gartcosh, I miss coming over, but it's just too difficult for me now unfortunately. Still enjoying playing though

[Gary James Peters]

Very nice Geoff. Nice changes and great photos. My son and his girlfriend look like they're going to move up to Scotland, so I'll be up there now and again I'm sure. Actually, I'm half Scots myself; my Mum was from Greenock. Obviously none of this has anything to do with the steel guitar. I needed a break.

[Jif]

Thanks Gary. I lived in Greenock for the first 4 years of my life, don't remember much about it. My family moved back to Fife, where they were originally from. If you're ever up this way and nearby, you're welcome to pop in. Or if you're away in the West Coast wilderness, I'm sure Calum would welcome you with his world famous haddock & chips

Whereabouts are your son & girlfriend moving to?

[Gary James Peters]

Well, his girlfriend has a year-long arts residency as a silversmith at Marchmont Arts Trust, which is between Duns and Greenlaw. Then they move to a village just outside Dumfries where they can live for free for a while in her late-Granny's house while they save so they can buy their own...probably in Scotland as she is half-Scottish and Bristol where they are now is a rip-off. Glasgow would be favourite. We'll see. Yes, I'll pop in if I'm passing.

G