R.S. Galloway Arts oilsacrylics

The Black Cuillin, which are mainly composed of basalt and gabbro, include 12 Munros. The highest point being Glamaig, one of only two corbetts on skye.

Fishing on Rannoch Moor (7)

Edinburgh from Longniddry Beach (8)

Corrieshalloch gorge

and the falls of measach (10)

The Herdsman - Sandwood Bay, Sutherland (11)

River Luskintyre - Isle of Harris (12)

Buachaille Etive Mòr (Scottish Gaelic): Buachaille Eite Mòr, meaning "the great herdsman of Etive"), generally known to climbers simply as The Buachaille or The Beuckle is a mountain at the head of Glen Etive in the Highlands of Scotland. It’s almost perfect pyramidal form, as seen from the A82 road when travelling towards Glen Coe, makes it one of the most recognisable mountains in Scotland, and one of the most depicted on postcards and calendars.

Buachaille Etive Mòr takes the form of a ridge nearly five miles (8 km) in length, almost entirely encircled by the River Etive and its tributaries. The ridge contains four principal tops: from north-east to south-west these are Stob Dearg (1022 m), Stob na Doire (1011 m), Stob Coire Altruim (941 m) and Stob na Bròige (956 m). Stob Dearg and Stob na Bròige are both Munros; the latter was promoted to Munro status by the Scottish Mountaineering Club in 1997.

Glamaig is the northernmost of Skye's Red Hills. It is the seemingly perfect cone of scree that towers 775m above Sligachan and finds its way into the pictures taken by thousands of cameras every year. No matter how wonderful the hill looks from below, it is nothing to what the world looks like when seen on a clear day from the summit. This is one of the great viewpoints of Skye.

On the way to Glencoe from the south, the road skirts alongside the wild and desolate expanse of Rannoch Moor. Robert Louis Stevenson, in his novel "Kidnapped" described the Moor as being "as waste as the sea". It is especially somber when engulfed in mist or lashed by driving rain or snow but in good weather it is full of shining lochs, tree-covered islets, sandy bays, and clothed with waving grass and purple heather. It is 20 square miles of mostly peat and bog on a foundation of granite. Rannoch Moor is virtually impassable but there is a railway line that threads across it that stops at Rannoch Station. Interestingly, the train is prevented from sinking because the tracks are 'floating' on bundles of Brushwood.

Longniddry is a quiet village on the East Lothian coast in Scotland situated 12 miles east of Edinburgh. From the 16th century until 1924 Longniddry had been a coal-mining village with weaving as its other main industry. In 1916 the village was developed by the Scottish Veterans’ Garden Cities Association. Surrounded by panoramic sea-side views and countryside Longniddry is a popular tourist destination and an ideal base for touring Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Stirling castle was originally built in wood but in the late 13th century it was rebuilt in stone. In 1174 it was handed over to the English in return for the release of William I who had been captured in battle. The English handed Stirling Castle back in 1189.

At the end of the 13th century a long war began between the Scots and the English. During the war Stirling castle changed hands several times. The English invaded in 1296 and captured Stirling Castle. However they were severely defeated at the battle of Stirling bridge the same year. The Scots recaptured Stirling castle in 1297.

Then in 1298 the Scots were defeated at the battle of Falkirk. William Wallace retreated north. Stirling castle fell into English hands. Stirling castle changed hands once again in 1299 when the Scots recaptured it. Stirling castle fell to the English in 1304 but the Scots recaptured it in 1314 after the battle of Bannockburn.

This breathtaking mile-long gorge, is one of the finest examples in Britain of a box canyon, its 61 m (200 ft) deep. The river plunges 46 m (150 ft) over the Falls of Measach. There is a suspension bridge a little way downstream from the falls this was built by John Fowler (1817-98), he was also a joint designer of the Forth Railway Bridge. John Fowler bought the estate of Braemore in 1867. Further downstream, there is a viewing platform it provides an excellent vantage point looking up towards the spectacular falls of course for this you will need a head for height.

The story of the Isle of Lewis is steeped in both history and mystery. Man has inhabited Leodhas, meaning marshy, for probably 5000 years. The Standing Stones and Stone Circles bear witness to this early occupation, as do the Iron Age forts and archaeological sites scattered around the Island. Brochs, hill forts and the evidence of the Iron Age that we see today, were constructed from about 250 B.C. to 500 A.D., and mainly on the coastal fringes.

Sandwood Bay has been known to humans for a long time. The coast here is thought to have been the earliest inhabited area in this part of what came to be known as Scotland. There is evidence of a Pictish settlement, and it is believed the Vikings, sailing south past Cape Wrath, would land here and drag their longships over the beach and into Sandwood Loch.

It was never especially hospitable terrain. The first maps of the area were made in the 17th century and describe the land as an "extreem wilderness" through which wolves roamed. Since 1993, a 4,600-hectare estate including Sandwood Bay has been managed by the John Muir Trust. There are only about 100 people currently living in all that space, including eight working crofters.

Ben and Loch Lomond (14)

Galloway Forest by Loch Trool (15)

Deeside - Cairngom & Balmoral (16)

River Dochart in Killin (18)

Loch Lomond is the largest loch (lake) in the UK. It is 24 miles long, 5 miles wide, up to 600 feet deep and it has 38 islands. The loch and its surroundings would figure high in any list of the world's most beautiful places. The scenery is fantastic so, if visiting make sure you have a large memory card in your camera!

The large island in the centre left of the picture is Inchcailloch, known locally as the burying island. Some say this is because it has a graveyard on it, others because it looks like a body laid on its back.

The Loch is watched over by Ben Lomond, a mountain 3,192 feet high (973 metres). Since the foot of Ben Lomond is not much above sea level it appears to be a much higher mountain, although the many hill walkers who climb "the Ben" will probably agree with this. There is a path from Rowardennanon the eastern side of the loch that will take you all the way to the top. Even if you are very fit you should allow about four or five hours (up and down) for this climb. It's not for the faint hearted.

Royal Deeside is renowned as an area of outstanding natural beauty, surrounding the valley of the River Dee which rises in the nearby Cairngorm mountains.

Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms is a veritable walkers paradise with mountains such as the Cairngorm, Lochnagar and Lairig Ghru all in the area. Walking opportunities are available to all visitors to Royal Deeside with a selection of Munros for serious walkers/climbers through to trails and footpaths for those seeking a gentler pastime.

The area has long been a popular destination for visitors. The Wordsworths, Coleridge and Sir Walter Scott all visited the Falls. In 1802, William Wordsworth immortalised Corra Linn, the largest of the waterfalls, in verse. Corra Linn has also been painted by a number of artists, including J. M. W. Turner. The name comes from the Gaelic 'currach', a marshy place. A legend gives 'Cora' as a daughter of King Malcolm II, who lept to her death here whilst trying to escape imagined danger.

Near Corra Linn is the Pavilion, built by Sir John Carmichael of Bonnington, probably in 1708. The Pavilion had mirrors on its back wall, and when the doors were opened visitors had the illusion of standing beneath the falls. The 15th century Corra Castle is next to Corra Linn. It is now home to a family of rare bats. Corehouse, built in 1844, the home of the Cranstoun family, is nearby.

The village of Killin located within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.

The village boasts two rivers, the River Lochay and the River Dochart which both join to form to form the estuary and main contributory of Loch Tay. The River Lochay, River Dochart and Loch Tay all support excellent Salmon, Trout and Pike fishing. Fly fishing from boat or bank can be arranged locally by means of permit and if required, fishing boat and ghillie.

Killin lies below the Sron Na Clachan (translates from Scots Gaelic as Nose of the Village), the Tarmachan Range (possibly named after the Ptarmigan which can be found there) and the mighty Ben Lawers. At 3984 feet high, Ben Lawers is Great Britain's 4th highest mountain. At one point there was a cairn buily 16 feet high so mountaineers could reach 4000 feet above sea level!

The village of Killin lies in the ancient district of Breadalbane (from the Scots Gaelic "Braghaid Albainn" meaning "The High Country of Scotland").

Oil paintings are difficult to photograph and often the camera flash reflects off the oil within the painting creating small areas of white light. You may see evidence of this here within some of my paintings.

The River Tay (Gaelic: Tatha) is the longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in the United Kingdom. The Tay originates in western Scotland on the slopes of Ben Lui (Beinn Laoigh), then flows easterly across the Highlands, through Loch Dochhart, Loch Lubhair and Loch Tay, then continues east through Strathtay (see Strath), in the centre of Scotland, then southeasterly through Perth, where it becomes tidal, at its mouth at the Firth of Tay, south of Dundee. It is the largest river in the UK by volume of discharge. Its catchment is approximately 2000 square miles (the Tweed's is 1,500 square miles (3,900 km) and the Spey's is 1097 square miles). In the 19th century the Tay Rail Bridge was built across the Firth at Dundee as part of the East Coast Main Line, which linked Aberdeen in the north with Edinburgh and, eventually, London to the south.

The name Dean (or ‘Dene’) means ‘deep valley’ and Edinburgh’s Dean Village is located in exactly such a place. Only a mile or so from the capital’s busy Princes Street, it is nevertheless easy to miss. The village lies on the Water of Leith in a steep ravine cut by the river between Roseburn and Stockbridge, and its location has proved instrumental in shaping both its historic and present character.

What is now known as the Dean Village was originally two small settlements, the so-called Water of Leith Village, which lay along the river, and the Village of Dean, which was located at the top of the ravine in a site now occupied by the Dean Cemetery. The first mention of the settlement is the reference to the ‘Mills of the Dene’ in the Holyrood Charter of King David I.

The Isle of Harris is actually joined to the Isle of Lewis, and has a short border, shown by a ‘dashed’ line on the Harris map. Harris has a wide range of landscapes, all of which have their own charm and interest. On the west coast lie some of the most spectacular beaches of Britain (marked on the map) with large open machair areas. In the north, the terrain is rugged, mountainous and has a Lunar feel to it, with huge boulders littered around. The east coast is more isolated and has some of the oldest rocks in the world, being dated at some three thousand million years old. The exposed rocks are a result of scouring by the glaciers in the Ice Ages. The area is known as ‘The Bays’ because of the many small, quiet inlets. These inlets are populated by small villages, each with their own unique character. In general, the attraction of Harris is its peace and tranquillity, the magnificent scenery and beaches, but finally the warmth and quiet confidence of its people.

Loch Shiel is only marginally above sea level and was in fact a sea loch a few thousand years ago when sea levels (relative to Scotland) were higher.Its nature changes considerably along its length, being deep and enclosed by mountains in the north east and shallow surrounded by bog and rough pasture in the south west, from which end the 4 km River Shiel drains to the sea in Loch Moidart near Castle Tioram.

Loch Trool is renowned as having some of the finest scenery in southern Scotland. Lying in the heart of the Galloway Forest Park it offers the visitor a perfect example of the unspoilt and untamed nature of Galloway as you circumnavigate the loch on the Glentrool Trail.

Sitting in an elevated position above Loch Trool lies the evocatively named Bruce's Stone, commemorating the famous battle of Glentrool between the Scots loyal to Robert the Bruce and the tyrannical English forces. Also towering above the loch is the highest peak in southern Scotland, the Merrick. Popular with climbers and hikers alike there is a clearly defined pathway to the summit by way of Benyellary. Those who make the effort are well rewarded on a clear day with full 360 degree views of Galloway and Ayrshire.