Ross Priory, Loch Lomond

Yesterday I said my mission was to include visits to castles and keeps in my next 100 blips. Today's photo is not quite a castle but it is a category A listed building on the south shore of Loch Lomond. It's probably best described as a Scottish Gothic style country house, set in 200 acres. There's a formal garden, beautiful parkland, a burial ground and a golf course. It's used now as a Club for staff and former staff of Strathclyde University, and it's a great place to bring visitors for a bar lunch and a leisurely stroll with its fabulous views across the loch.

Today I witnessed the first signs of spring, although I also saw the devastation of the prolonged Arctic winds on the wide range of rhododendron bushes. They should have been in full bloom. Their frosted buds and drooping leaves indicated all was not well. Will they recover? Who knows? However daffodils are hardy and although they're only in bud in my garden, here they were out in all their glory.

Also, on the grassy sward running from the priory down to the lochside a family group were enjoying a fun game of cricket with wickets in the ground, pads on and the ubiquitous red ball. However, since spring has almost eluded us altogether this year, I decided the daffodil shot with the priory had to be the one for today.