Snow fences, Cairngorms
Originally uploaded by jmmcdgll
Spent October break at the iconic Coylumbridge Hotel, which I last stayed at in the early 70s, back in the heyday of Aviemore as the winter resort of the UK. We used this as a base to explore the area, with top marks going to the quad biking. Looking at the activities on offer within the Rothiemurchus estate was like being plunged into a Higher Geography question on rural land use issues. I could see the potential for some good field work on conflicts of interest, but I also feel we can sometimes make too much of the theme of “conflict” and automatically ascribe to each and every activity within a national park a minus point in a conflict checklist. To take quad bikes, certainly they are noisey and churn up the land, but it is strictly contained within a small area near the town, and only runs at particular times. In fact I got a real sense of the amount of space surrounding the honeypots-vast areas of rock strewn mountains, forests and moorland, with scarcely a person to be seen. What I felt was that many activities do is encourage people out of their houses and into the countryside, to enjoy the beauty of the autumn colours, to try something new. The main problem is cost-for a family of four each activity could be upwards from £50
That said, it is clear that certain areas do suffer from overkill-the flanks of the Cairngorms are criss crossed by weathered snow fences and the ghostly infrastructure of old chair lifts. Broad, ever widening paths cut into the hillside, with secondary paths evolving along side. There are many of disapprove of the whole concept of the Cairngorm Mountain Railway, which makes it easier for more people to ascend the mountain.Car parks and mountain restuarants are anathema to those who want the mountains wild and challenging.The issue, as always, is to assess the costs and benefits of such developments. In a time of recession, and job losses, who would deny this region the chance to generate income, and create employment? But what price the environment?
Had the opportunity to take a short trip up to Kilmartin today. North of Lochgilphead, Kilmartin lies at the heart of a remarkable prehistotic landscape of standing stones, cup and ring marks, hill forts, as well as relicts of the Pictish and Medieval past. It is akin to the significant landscape of Wessex, in the south of England and is certainly a region of national importance in the archaeology of the British Isles and Europe. It has been a long time since I last wandered among the slabs and graevstones of the local church-1980, when I was in First Year at Glasgow studying archaology. Not much has changed, indeed “timeless” may be the most suitable word to use. As always when you return to a place after a long absence, its immediate familiarity jolts you back in time with the instance of selecting a favourite track on a CD. There is no meandering chronology of intervening years and events to negotiate en route. I remember Dunadd, the hill that rises out of the broad, flood plain of the River Add, capital of Dalriada. Today it is a forlorn place, grey with driving rain, extensive pools of water in the marshy lowland; inscribed stones pointing into the mist, cattle grazing nearby and gulls and crows wheeling in the gusts coming off the sea. Bedraggled, but smiling tourists clamber into a steaming minibus, while the rain harshens. But the coffee and home baking at the museum are delightful, and there is time to browse the books on geology, history, wildlife and admire the art work on the stone walls. I leave, but feel I’d like to come back.
IMG_1412
Originally uploaded by jmmcdgll
Here is 3D model that is trying, through use of colour and shape, to classify various species of the primate family. Classification is central to all sciences and of course plays an important part in geography. We have started to look at how we may classify the scenery of Scotland, and how we can divide rocks into the three main groups-Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
TO DO
1. Use the comments space below to suggest to me some other types of classification we can use in geography.
2. Using this photo as a starting point, in your jotter sketch out your own classification diagram for eg rocks, scenery, towns, land uses,…
make sure to focus on layout, handwriting and good use of colour and shape.
Further Information: See the excellent British Isles website for more details and helpful links.
