Your Today in Pictures...

[Ali Hipperson]

Great pictures Graham, and there's one of Highland Mary that I took when my sister and I visited Dunoon for the first time last summer.

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks Ali

Here is one from an old 35mm slide that I have. This would be Dunoon in the 1960s, notice how the police used "Hillman Imps", not exactly designed for a high speed car chase I had two Imps over the years anyway back then the cars did not exactly go that fast, especially if you had a Morris Minor

Summer time and the Cowal Games in particular were great times, the place was full of life. Along with a friend, we used to fish with just a hand line under the pier, we were all over the place. The West bay had for hire, rowing and motor boats, an amusing true story, of my parents travelling on a bus from Dunoon to Tighnabruaich. The coach driver quickly pulled over and jumped out, the next thing they heard, was a bang, the driver returned holding a rabbit he had just shot, he then proceeded to tell his passengers, that's for tea tonight .

It was a different world back then

[Ali Hipperson]

Nice picture Graham - a Hillman Imp as a Police car says everything about how times were 60yrs ago!

I was hoping to see the Highland Games when they were due to come to Bute last summer but obviously they didn't happen. A pity because the field they use is only a 5min walk from my flat.

I wonder if the driver made a delicious rabbit-stew for his tea that night 😋

[Ali Hipperson]

Here's one for you, last Wednesday I went for a 10mile fast walk to around to the back of the island. It was a stunningly cold but clear and sunny day and when I got to the other side you had a clear view of the Isle of Aran and the topography (if you look closely) clearly shows the outline of the famous 'Sleeping Warrior' of Aran - I'll post a couple of picture next....

[Ali Hipperson]

[Lee Mannering]

Yesterday

[Brian Fretwell]

For some reason my reply to Graham got stored not posted but, revived here it is:-

I imagine that the Hillman imps were just replacements for the "Bobby on a Bike" for local policing, never intended for chasing cars. A friend of mine's father must have been one of the last policemen on a bicycle in London in the early 1980's, I spoke to him when he was out on it around then.

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks Ali the photos look great'

Brian

Thanks for the info regarding the use of Hillman Imps, that had me thinking, what did the police use for car chases?, as I can't recall as to what cars were used during the 1960s.

[Brian Fretwell]

When the police turned up to the rear entrance of the Brixton supermarket I had a Saturday job in to deal with a possibly abandoned car they came in a Rover 2 litre. That seemed more up to the job.

[Graham Ritchie]

Ah! the Rover 2000 now that makes sense.

Last Sunday morning we called into one of two favorite places I like to have a morning coffee. Yvonne took those following photos of what the owner does with his spare time.

I did suggest to him, that they should be put in a protective case to keep little hands from reaching them. In general most people and there children respect it and don't touch, his displays always catch peoples attention while waiting in line. I should add they are really nice people running that local cafe and its well supported.

[Graham Ritchie]

I just had to share this from a Facebook page "Scotland Now and Then" its not just Hillman Imps in Scotland but this as well... its brilliant eh!


Changing the subject just slightly, my other destination for a coffee is this one shown here. The folk at "Muffin Break" are a good bunch. I did mention to the owner the other day, that I had read that drinking "coffee" was good for your memory. This comment from me caught his interest, he replied where did you read that?, my answer was I can't remember the following look I got was classic ......such is life

PS...I worked with a guy at the Aero Club "true story" back in the 70s-80s who told me he had read a book from the library, about how to improve your memory, only thing was after reading it he told me he forgot to take it back

[Graham Ritchie]

Well just about to head out for my coffee fix, but before that I came across this stunning photo on the internet of Ben Nevis up in the highlands the highest mountain in Great Britain . My brothers family all live in that area. Fort William is just at the bottom of Ben Nevis in this photo. Fort William I should add, used to hold the record for being the wettest place in Scotland I don't know if it still does but it would not surprise me if it still is.

For any visitor to Scotland, do take the time to visit the Western Isles. The West Coast is a beautiful part of Scotland and full of history, you might even sight the Loch Ness monster

[Ed Gordon]

Graham, that's a fantastic picture of Ben Nevis! Here is Washington State, USA, we would call that a large hill (4,411 ft). We do have many mountains in WA State, but Mount Rainier is a favorite at 14,411 ft (the highest):


Another favorite in Mount St Helens, which used to be the fifth largest in WA State. The top was blown off in the 1980.

Mount St. Helens is most notorious for its major eruption on May 18, 1980, the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in US history. Fifty-seven people were killed; 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles (24 km) of railways, and 185 miles (298 km) of highway were destroyed. A massive debris avalanche, triggered by an earthquake of magnitude 5.1, caused a lateral eruption[3] that reduced the elevation of the mountain's summit from 9,677 ft (2,950 m) to 8,363 ft (2,549 m), leaving a 1 mile (1.6 km) wide horseshoe-shaped crater. The debris avalanche was up to 0.7 cubic miles (2.9 km3) in volume.

-Wikipedia

[Graham Ritchie]

Fantastic photo Ed.... beautiful country.

[Paul Barker]

Graham. looking at your picture of the coffee shop makes me real envious. here in uk we are almost eleven months of covid restrictions. oh how i would love just to be able to visit and sit in such a place. the kind of thing you just take for granted under normal circumstances. even with vaccines being rolled out i still have my concerns of things we yet face.