Picture Parade Two Hundred and Ten

Pictures of Casper.

(All will become clear shortly!)

Dear friend of this place, Margaret K. from Tasmania (MargfromTassie), recently sent me an email with a link to a story that had appeared on the BBC website.

I thought the photographs would make a fabulous Picture Parade.

But first sufficient of the news story for the photographs to be seen in proper context.

Meet Scotland’s ‘most well-travelled dog’

By Ewan Murrie, BBC Scotland news website, 3rd June 2017

After photographs of her West Highland Terrier received more “likes” on social media than even the most stunning Glencoe landscapes she could capture, Sam Grant conceded that “the wee white dug” should star in her Scottish travel blog.

“Casper is my unique selling point,” says Sam Grant, an Edinburgh-based VisitScotland ambassador who spends her spare time travelling the country with her pet.

She adds: “There are lots of travel bloggers out there who are very good writers, but they don’t have the wee white dug.”

Here are almost all of those photographs that the BBC presented.

You will love them.

Please note that all of the photographs were taken by Sam Grant who, I am sure, retains copyright ownership of them. Sam’s blogsite is Scotland With The Wee White Dug and well worth a visit.

The village of Crianlarich is located in Glen Strathfillan to the north of the Trossachs, around eight miles north of the head of Loch Lomond

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The village of Carrbridge, in the Scottish Highlands is famous for its 18th Century packhorse bridge.

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Whiting Bay, Isle of Arran, offers views across to Holy Isle.

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Culzean Castle is perched on the Ayrshire cliffs.

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Culloden Moor in the Highlands is where the Battle of Culloden took place in 1746.

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Iona, Inner Hebrides, is often described as a “tiny island paradise”.

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The Tomb of the Eagles, Orkney, is thought to be more than 5,000 years old.

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North Berwick, East Lothian, boasts many great beaches and coastal scenery.

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“Dolphin Spirit” is a boat to take tourists onto the waters of the inner Moray Firth to see the dolphin pods.

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Bow Fiddle Rock is a natural sea arch near Portknockie on the north-eastern coast of Scotland.

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Kilchurn Castle is a ruined castle on a rocky peninsula at the northeastern end of Loch Awe, Argyll and Bute.

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Snow capped Ben More in Glen More, Isle of Mull, Western Isles.

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Balnakeil Bay is near Durness, Scottish Highlands.

I can’t resist including the rest of the text that the BBC published for the photographs are strengthened enormously by Sam’s words.

Her eccentric website details places of interest in areas including Orkney, Loch Lomond and the Scottish Borders.

It was launched in 2015 after an Instagram account written from Casper’s perspective proved popular with followers.

The social media profile has nearly 4,000 followers, who Sam says “can’t get enough” of the wee white dug’s quirky anecdotes about his travels.

Sam says travelling with Casper has given her lots of insight into Scotland’s best pet-friendly tourist attractions and holiday accommodation.

She says: “There are loads of good places that you can visit nowadays where you can bring along your four-legged friends.”

Sam hopes the blog could encourage more Scots to look around their own country, as well as attracting other visitors.

She says: “If you visit the beaches in the Outer Hebrides, you’ll see there’s really no need to go to the Caribbean – unless you’re a sun worshipper.

“Scotland’s a country with a rich history and heritage. A country full of stories just waiting to be told.”

Sam says most traffic to her website comes from the UK and US but she has had visitors from more than 100 countries – including China.

“When I see that I’ve had visitors from far-flung countries, I imagine them on the other side of the world reading about Scotland and the wee white dug,” the writer adds.

Asked if she thinks some people could say her pictures are a bit twee, Sam replied: “I did worry about that at first, so I try to make a joke of it.

“But if people like my pictures and they bring a bit of happiness to someone’s day, then why not?”

I guarantee that all of you dear people who view these photographs will have much happiness brought to you. As was brought to Jeannie and me.

22 thoughts on “Picture Parade Two Hundred and Ten”

    1. Thanks Susan. Yes, Scotland, especially the top half and the Western Isles, is fascinating and very beautiful. Then again both Glasgow and Edinburgh, such very different cities, are very interesting. Do go there! 😎

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  3. Scotland always ranks very highly on lists of the world’s most beautiful countries. It’s on my ‘to do’ list for sure. Casper is gorgeous and definitely adds a wonderful dimension and focus to the photos. I just wonder how Sam managed to get him to stand still – it definitely wouldn’t happen with my Jack Russell !

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    2. Generally it doesn’t take too long to get the boy to sit still as he’s fairly obedient. Often he’ll stop for a rest and I’ll snap him. If he refuses to look I’ll opt for a whimsical admiring the scenery shot instead. If I’m not having any luck getting his attention beefy treats, silly singing or dancing do the trick! 😂

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    1. Sam, a very special welcome to you! Thank you for calling in to this place. Your photographic skills are very impressive. So did you read the question from Margaret? As to how you get Casper to sit so still?

      From me, I would be delighted to learn more about how you set up those photos.

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      1. Generally it doesn’t take too long to get the boy to sit still as he’s fairly obedient. Often he’ll stop for a rest and I’ll snap him. If he refuses to look I’ll opt for a whimsical admiring the scenery shot instead. If I’m not having any luck getting his attention beefy treats, silly singing or dancing do the trick! 😂

        Like

  7. Scotland is a truly beautiful country and if I were a traveler, I would have gone there in my younger days. I relish photos of Scotland and have especially enjoyed reading about the breeds of dogs that originated there.

    I enjoyed seeing pics of the adorable West Highland Terrier which according to literature was created from the other Scottish breeds which included the Skye, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, and Scottish terrier. It is said that one man is responsible for bringing the breed to light. I suppose that is an unintentional pun since he began with the Cairn Terrier which was a tan color back sometime in the late 1800’s. He selected the lightest color of dogs for mating until he finally had dogs that bred true to the white color. The breed made its way to the US in the early 1900’s.

    It does have a host of inherited health problems but I think for the most part it’s a healthy breed. I’m thinking that there was a great deal of inbreeding which is generally the reason for so many health problems. I’ve always believed that a mutt is much less prone to disease but I’ve read about the pros and cons of mutts versus pure bred regarding health issues and there are variable opinions on both sides of the aisle.

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