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A variety of sailing takes place at St Mary’s loch, mostly towards the western portion of the water. This crew are near the shore at the March wood.

You can just make out that the osprey is carrying a fish it has just caught. I saw it hovering over the loch and heard a loud splash as it hit the water, just out of my view. I then just managed to take a picture as it was flying away. A nice punctuation to a gorgeous evening.

Over the past few days we have seen an osprey as a late afternoon visitor. It’s always a relief to see that the migration has gone to plan. He/she flies over the loch directly in front of the Half House cottage, frequently hovering briefly as she looks for fish … no binoculars required!

Still on the bird theme we had a large number of Whooper swans on the loch this year. They migrate from Iceland apparently. There are just a few stragglers left now as most have headed home for the summer.

On a walk around the loch yesterday the unseasonably warm weather had brought out a variety of rather impressive caterpillars. We don’t know if they were supposed to emerge in February but they were taking their chances nevertheless. Thanks to Louise for the photos.

A beautiful winter morning. Mist over the loch starting to clear.

Some winter sunshine and signs of life at St Mary’s Loch today.

We were delighted that the cottage was booked for Christmas quite early in the year.  However, we have plenty of availability at other times during the winter months. If you fancy a cosy retreat, and are prepared to take your chance with the weather, we would love to welcome you to the Half House Cottage. Our winters are less snowy than you might imagine … but it does happen as the photo below shows!

It may come as a surprise to discover that Merlin, the wizard of Arthurian legend, lived in the south of Scotland close to this area. The Merlin Trail has tied together all the connections if you have a curiosity about dark ages history!

Our local roads were closed for part of the day for the the annual cycle “sportive” event on Sunday 2nd September. A great challenge for riders of all abilities.

“For me this route will stand out as being one of the best all-round rides I have done in the UK. The climbing was not unduly challenging, the scenery stunning and the descents memorable. Its a masterpiece of route planning.” – Cycling Active Magazine

These 2 excellent photos are ©Les Walton, a recent guest at Half House cottage. A perfect reflection across the loch and a sunrise taken from the old jetty.