Linda and I spent the weekend in Cowal. For those of you who don't know, Cowal is quite simply stunningly beautiful and remarkably unspoiled for being so close to the lowlands and Scotland's major city. I for one am quite happy for it to stay like that, because I am selfish and want to keep it free of tourists. We travelled to Cowal by the shortest route - through Perth to Stirling, then along past Buchlyvie, Drymen and Balloch to Arrochar, over the Rest and be Thankful, along Glen Kinglas and down the east shore of Loch Fyne to Strachur (which is where this photograph was taken). We then headed on to our home for the night, which was a small guest house at the end of a very narrow single track road on which there was no traffic. We had no mobile phone reception, no internet and no TV. We went for a walk and chatted with a farmer who showed us his lambs and spoke about life as a hill farmer. We had a lovely meal and then drove down to the Colintraive Hotel. By then it was pitch black, and we could only just make out the ripples on the waters of the Kyles of Bute. The CalMac sailors had tied up the Rhubodach ferry (the 'Wee' ferry), and switched the lights off. It was very cold. We went back to the hotel, where Linda had a glass of wine as we sat in front of a roaring log fire. We stayed for a while, then drove the 10 miles back to Glendaruel, and along the narrow road to the guest house, where we arrived just in time to fall asleep to the sound of the small burn (stream) that flowed under our window. Bliss.