LOCH LOMOND

Accessibility: ★☆☆☆☆

Take the train from Glasgow (for example), and get off at Balloch station. The Loch is visible as soon as you arrive, so it's straight ahead.

Recording: ★☆☆☆☆

Not much wind, so a fairly simple recording in itself. Quite close to the edge, so some splashes could reach the recorder. Beginner level.

Overall rarity: ★☆☆☆☆

Mainly because of the snow and ice on some of the banks of the loch make this recording something that is more special than rare.

(more on the rating system here)

Loch Lomond is the first Loch I have ever seen in my life. I will never forget when, or with whom, I went there.

What is most surprising is that it is both the same and totally different from what I have seen before in my mountain escapades in France.

There is definitely something mystical about the sight of this body of water. There is such a massive and grand feel to it, and yet such a calm and serenity that emanates from it. Like a dragon that can cause chaos, but prefers to sleep peacefully.

The best part of the day was the snow on the highland hills and some areas of the lake, which had a layer of ice that was sometimes thick but never thick enough to support even a pebble throw.

Between the station and the mouth of the river, there are two paths. And strangely enough, having tested both, I would say that you have the choice between the wild side of the loch and the more civilised side. On the day of my visit, few people were present, so I was able to walk along several different paths throughout the day. Whether it was to Balloch Castle on the east bank, or to the area full of guesthouses on the west bank.

Finally, the hardest part was finding a place that would satisfy me to record this sleeping monster. And despite the small number of people present, there was still a lot of activity that disturbed my recordings. In the end, the cleanest of all turned out to be one that was taken below the castle, where the waves and a few pieces of ice hit the stone ledge.

In the end, I tell myself that it was certainly a first contact with this place, and I hope to be able to go back there one day with better equipment, and especially the possibility of going to some of the islands present in order to be able to capture the breathing of this dragon that sleeps.

By the time we got back on the train to Glasgow, I was exhausted, but deep down I was thinking that it wasn't goodbye but see you soon.