Today was a wet and miserable day but that is Scotland for you, Scotland is weather and you just have to learn to deal with it by wearing the correct clothing. Steff picked up Christine and myself and we headed for Loch Lomond. I don’t mind the rain when I’m sitting in the car, in fact I would rather be driving watching the world go by, but it’s good to be a passenger because it allows you to enjoy the scenery.

We had lunch at Loch Lomond near where you will find the Maid of the Loch paddle steamer which is currently getting refurbished. They said they were hoping to get it ready for the end of the month but it looks like they still have a lot of work left to do. There was still snow on the ground and the wind was still having a bite.

We continued up to the Lomond Side and stopped at Inverbeg and Luss, if I had the money I would love to stay in one of the wee houses facing the loch, although the midges in the summer would be a bit of a challenge.

We continued to Arrochar and popped into the Villager’s café for some cake and coffee. I had a large slice of Ginger Bread which was so delicious and I felt my gut beginning to enlarge at the mere thought of what the sugar was going to do to me, but there was one bit left for sale and so I had to buy it or I would never forgive myself.

I’d forgotten just how beautiful the drive is down the other side of Ben Lomond. We headed for Helensburgh and the rain was still on. We stopped at a small carpark to look at the view. As we sat there an old crow landed beside the car and looked up patiently, hoping that we would give it something to eat. Steff threw a piece of the gingerbread out for the crow and it loved it and scoffed the lot. We moved the car to the end of the carpark to look at another view and low and behold the crow follows us up. We sat parallel with the small wall and the crow was sitting there looking straight at us. He was an old bird, he was a bit bedraggled due to the weather. His beak looked so grey compared to the rest of his body. His feathers had a lovely blue sheen mixed through the dominant black.

I took a large chunk from the corner of the ginger bread and dropped it far enough away from us as not to scare our new friend. He stood for a few moments and then decided it was safe to jump down and scoff the lot. I would have loved to take our new friend home, I’ve always had a soft spot for crows and they are also very intelligent creatures which makes them very mischievous. Of course before we left I did tell my new friend that if he wanted anymore of the ginger bread then he would have to fly up to Arrochar to the Villager’s Café and ask the young lady in there for a wee bit more, but he would have to be careful as to not eat too much or he wouldn’t be able to get home.

I would love to go back here next time I’m back in Scotland and I would be so chuffed if my new friend was still there.