the Bass Rock sails past whorls of rocky lava

On the beach inspiration for painters lurked round every corner, from ancient castles to crazy rock piles that had their own personalities. The light bounced madly from sea to sky to hidden harbour pool and the Bass Rock prowled across the horizon, pausing only to create striking compositions in combination with other elements of the scene.

As we walked, what appeared to be a black-cloaked figure perched on a distant rock suddenly became something else altogether and, in the spirit of painting, nothing was quite what it seemed. Colours and shapes can be deceptive. It was the kind of beach that fills the mind with odd ideas.

when we rounded the corner the castle was there

Andi and the tide

rock figure and distant phantom

secret rock harbour and the ‘phantom’, now turned into a harmless wheel

the rock figure seems to have turned its back on the phantom in a rather snooty way

rock figure stealing sea memorial

a meeting on the beach

practising looking craggy