Boots, Camera, Dog
This is a story of two parts that come together for the final act. Bear with me…
Act I
Do you listen to podcasts? A few years ago, a friend suggested that I should listen to them to help with my sleeplessness - wise counsel as, no disrespect to those I listen to, they send me to sleep! A fairly recent addition to my library is Photography Daily hosted by Neale James, who was a radio presenter in a former life; it shows in the professional interviews and production.
Monday - Thursday, Neale presents interviews with photographers, covering a variety of genres, but on a Friday he does a photowalk. He takes emails from listeners out on location, along with his camera, and answers them as he walks - he must get some strange looks from other walkers! For a couple of months, this walk was sponsored by Lowa with a pair of boots available to be won. To be entered into the draw, all you had to do was email the show. So I did. Then one Saturday morning, I was listening to an extra episode that included the prize draw. As I wandered about the kitchen making my breakfast, earphones in, I was saying my name in my head as Neale read out the winner’s name, only to realise after a split second that it was actually a different voice in my head saying my name. I had the won the boots! Emails followed, and Tim Kington of TKC Sales on behalf of Lowa kindly allowed me to choose whichever pair of boots I wanted from their range. Following his very helpful advice, I opted for the Mauria Boots, and they’re lovely. I also rashly promised I would do a photowalk in them!
Act II
Living on the Black Isle, just to the north of Inverness, which, despite its name, is not an island, but a peninsula, I am lucky to have Ffordes Photographic virtually on my doorstep. I say ‘lucky’ - it’s a little worrying when you walk into your local, independent camera shop and are greeted by name. Joking aside, it’s a great place with great staff and is affectionately known locally as ‘The Toyshop’. Not only do they sell camera equipment, but over the last few years have run a variety of workshops and presentations, many of which I have attended. Occasionally they lend out equipment to local photographers to ‘play’ with. Alister Bowie got in touch recently to ask if I would like to ‘play’ with a Leica Monochrom M10. I said yes immediately (I’ve heard of Leica) and then had to Google the camera to see what it was (I’m not the most tech savvy it has to be said!). Essentially, it’s a rangefinder camera that only shoots in black and white; the rangefinder bit means you have to manually focus.
Final Act
So, a new pair of boots and a different camera to play with. There was no option but to go on a photo walk! Quite close to home is Monadh Mor (The Big Moor), which is a favourite walk of mine, usually accompanied by the dog and a podcast. Monadh Mor is a remnant of the extensive bog woodland which once covered the Black Isle ridge. It's the largest area of forest bog in Scotland and one of the best places to see rare bog woodland. Over 100 hectares of naturally wet woodland has been restored, and the birch and pine trees co-exist in a finely balanced relationship with the ponds, swamps and mosses. In the wettest areas, tree growth is so slow that the tiny bonsai-like pines can be hundreds of years old. I never grow tired of walking round it, and in the summer there are often damselflies and dragonflies flitting about.
The boots were well and truly tested as I walked along the muddy track and through various boggy areas - you do have to be careful if you go ‘off piste’ as there are areas of quaking bog, as well as just very squishy sphagnum moss that slowly, but surely, sinks as you stand on it. And as I had a camera in hand, the walk took more than twice as long than usual (the dog loved it). I enjoyed it so much, I did it again the next day.
Sadly, I’ve had to return the camera…..
Click on the thumbnail to see the full-sized image.
