Earlier this week I went on a trip deep in the heart of the west of Scotland for a couple of nights getting plenty of artistic inspiration. Leaving before dawn on Monday morning I set off for what would be one of the best trips away I've had. It made me fall in love with this country even more! The weather was fantastic for October, even better than Summer this year, according to the locals in the area I was staying. My intention before going was to get photos and sketches of the west coast beaches, mountains, and lochs and I think I was successful in my mission. I took plenty of photos and the new empty Moleskine sketchbook I took is now practically all filled with sketches. I visited Arisaig, Mallaig, Fort William, Kinlochleven, Glencoe Village, Glencoe, and some other really small secluded places with gorgeous hidden beauty spots. So many memories of a lovely trip. Autumn is definitely my favourite season when the weather is decent. The low sun of this season seems to cast a redder hue over everything and the sunsets are spectacular especially when they are framed naturally by the silhouettes of mountains and reflected in the water of lochs below. Cloudy days are lovely too, naturally brightened by the ochre, orange, and red tones of the changing leaves on trees covering much of the landscape.

'Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.' - Albert Camus

Here is one of my favourite places from the trip. It is a photo of Loch Leven. I managed to time my arrival at this loch perfectly as the water was unbelievably still creating an absolutely mirror-like reflection. Truly wonderful natural beauty.

'The mountains are calling and I must go' - John Muir