Glencoe A Micro adventure
Microadventure: a short, perspective-shifting burst of travel closer to home, inspiring followers to pitch a tent in nearby woods, explore their city by moonlight, or hold a family slumber party in the backyard. The concept is flexible enough in its definition to allow the individual to choose the location, duration, and overall scope of the adventure.
Microadventures are generally considered affordable in that little to no specialized gear is required, travel costs are trivial or nonexistent, and only a minimal amount of provisions are needed for the outing. Often participants will sleep out under the stars using a bivvy bag, rather than a tent, and wild swims are actively encouraged.
Microadventures have proved popular with people whose lives are busy with work and/or family commitments.
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The microadventure begins... well almost, first we need some back story...
let me introduce you to the Seal Dog Club...
What is a Seal Dog?
A seal dog refers to a moment in time where everything is in perfect harmony; referred to as a 'seal dog moment'.
Seal dog moments are few and far between and stay imprinted on the memory forever.
The Seal Dog Club
- Founder / Chief Adventurer: Niki Furley
- Adventurer / Photographer: Scott Masterton
- Deputy Adventurer: Hamish Highlander
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Aims
- The Seal Dog Club is built on a single aim, to have fun, an ancillary aim is to have as many Seal Dog moments as possible.
- Its key stakeholders are Niki, Scott and Hamish, though selected others may be allowed to participate on an ad hoc basis.
- Its key message is that having fun puts a smile on your face and smiles are proven to be good for you, so really it's a requirement for good health and therefore VERY IMPORTANT to have fun.
- The strategy is to have fun by doing all those things you meant to do or thought sounded fun but haven't got round to doing, yet... mixed with a good dose of curiosity, opportunism and spontaneity.
Evaluation
- The success of the plan will be measured using a tape measure and smile test on a monthly basis.
Needing a break from the stress of work life, the Seal Dog Club decide on a last minute microadventure, to take in Kilchurn Castle, Glen Orchy, Rannoch Moor, Glencoe, Buachaille Etive Mor, Glen Etive and finally a visit to the Kelpies on the way home.
0700-0800 hours: up, shower, breakfast, pack the car, get going... Scott being the microadventure photographer would have liked to have been up in Rannoch Moor for sunrise but Niki, being Niki, and despite being Chief Adventurer, wanted a long lie, so it was a late start to the microadventure... such is life ;o)
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Kilchurn Castle
Adventure is a state of mind
From Kilchurn Castle we headed north east through the Strath of Orchy towards Glen Orchy.
Glen Orchy
And then it was onward across Rannoch Moor towards The Buachaille.
Rannoch Moor is an expanse of around 50 square miles (130 km²) of boggy moorland with Loch Rannoch lying to the west and Glencoe to the north,
Buachaille Etive Mòr
After spending some time in the lee of The Buachaille, we headed down into Glen Etive.
Glen Etive
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Glen Etive is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. The River Etive rises on the peaks surrounding Rannoch Moor, with several tributary streams coming together at the north end of Glen Etive between the two mountains known as the "Herdsmen of Etive": Buachaille Etive Mòr and Buachaille Etive Beag. The Etive flows for about 18 km, until reaching the sea loch, Loch Etive.
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And as the sun begins to set we head back to The Buachaille for sunset.
Once the sun had gone down it was time to start heading home, however the microadventure wasn't over yet, we still had one final stop to make... a visit to the kelpies.
The Kelpies
The Kelpies are 30-metre high horse-head sculptures, standing next to a new extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal, in The Helix, a new parkland project built in the Falkirk Council Area, Scotland. The sculptures were designed by sculptor Andy Scott and were opened to the public in April 2014. The sculptures form a gateway at the eastern entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal, and the new canal extension built as part of The Helix land transformation project.
Kelpies, or water kelpies, is the Scots name given to a shape-shifting water spirit inhabiting the lochs and pools of Scotland. It has usually been described as appearing as a horse, but is able to adopt human form.
and then it was time to go home...
2200 hours: The End
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Click on the following link to view more of my photography
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Images available for licensing through
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All images © 2016 Scott Masterton | Fascinating Light Photography
All Rights Reserved
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If you enjoyed this microadventure, then you might like to view our Iceland adventure: