Hello, November

Hi, reader

Today I've escaped the city and am about an hour to the north in picturesque Callander. It was a pleasant drive with quiet roads and beautiful scenery.

I took a walk through some woods to view the Bracklinn Falls. It was a fairly short walk and there were quite a few other people out. The woods looked amazing in the late afternoon.

Most of the trees were completely covered in a dark green moss. Signposts told me to keep an eye open for red squirrels, but I didn't spot any.

I came across a rope swing, but decided not to have a go because the seat was wet and my fingers were already freezing cold. Autumn will be winter in no time.

Here are the Bracklinn Falls. The name Bracklinn comes from the Gaelic word Breac, meaning speckled or tawny and refers to the colour of the peat-tinged water, and from Linn meaning pool.

Let's see how powerful the current of the Keltie Burn is at this time of year, and after so much recent rainfall. 

The gorge has been formed over many years by the action of the water on soft 'puddingstone' which has eroded much faster than the surrounding rock.

A little further along is this spectacular wooden footbridge. There was originally a cast-iron bridge, built for a visit of Queen Victoria in the 1870s, but it was destroyed by flooding in 2004. This replacement wooden structure was built in 2010.

The bridge is currently closed pending a structural survey, but I took a short video of the foaming waters passing underneath it.

Back in Callander, I took a stroll around the town while there was still some daylight. 

Here's St. Kessog's Church in Ancaster Square. It's a category B listed building, built in 1883. Saint Kessog was an Irish missionary who is said to have preached in the area in the 6th century.

Not far away, I found this cool sun dial. According to a nearby signpost, it dates from 1753. 

There's a rhyme engraved on its base, which reads like a riddle. You can't see it clearly in this picture ...

... but it reads:

"I mark not the hours unless they bring light, 

I mark not the hours of darkness and night. 

My promise is only to follow the sun, 

and point out the course his chariot doth run."

Finally, here's a nice shot of the River Teith, which runs through Callander. I think the bridge over there is called Callander Bridge.

So after spending three nights in an Aldi car park, I really wanted to find a nice view to wake up to the next day. I drove about eight miles out of town to the shores of Loch Venachar. I found a small car park right on the water's edge. There were two other vans parked up, and a guy from Belfast, called Mark, had a campfire going. I sat and chatted with him about van life for an hour or so. Like me, he's been living in his van for just over two months.

How about this for a view!

It was a quiet night but windy. The waters of the loch weren't so tranquil this morning.

Where to next, I wonder? Surely Peebles can't still be flooded. Maybe I'll head back south to the Scottish Borders, or I might drive over to Aberfoyle, which I'm told is also very beautiful and not far away at all.

Anyway, thanks for reading. See you next time.

Brian