Simon Binning (🖌️Alex J Markson)
@simonbinning.bsky.social
🙋🏼♂️ Lover of curiosity, books, history, wisdom, wit & chocolate.
📚 Author of fiction as Alex J Markson.
🤷🏼♂️ Owner of a chronically defective body.
🔗 Linktr.ee/simonbinning
📚 Author of fiction as Alex J Markson.
🤷🏼♂️ Owner of a chronically defective body.
🔗 Linktr.ee/simonbinning
Finally, my find of the day. Simply a stunning orchid.
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow #orchid
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow #orchid
January 8, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Finally, my find of the day. Simply a stunning orchid.
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow #orchid
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow #orchid
I find cacti and succulents fascinating but strangely unendearing!
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow
January 8, 2026 at 7:52 PM
I find cacti and succulents fascinating but strangely unendearing!
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow
Personally, I’m always drawn to texture and form in plants, rather than sheer colour.
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgardens #glasgow
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgardens #glasgow
January 8, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Personally, I’m always drawn to texture and form in plants, rather than sheer colour.
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgardens #glasgow
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgardens #glasgow
On a cold - and often snowy - day, I spent a few hours in the glass houses of the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, and thought I’d share some images. First, some colour on this dull day.
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow
January 8, 2026 at 7:40 PM
On a cold - and often snowy - day, I spent a few hours in the glass houses of the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, and thought I’d share some images. First, some colour on this dull day.
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow
#glasgowbotanicgardens #botanicgarden #glasgow
One of the Kelvingrove’s most famous works: ‘Christ of St John of the Cross’ by Salvador Dali, 1951. It was bought from the artist in 1952, a purchase which was controversial at the time.
#kelvingrove #dali #christofstjohnofthecross #glasgow
#kelvingrove #dali #christofstjohnofthecross #glasgow
January 7, 2026 at 7:45 PM
One of the Kelvingrove’s most famous works: ‘Christ of St John of the Cross’ by Salvador Dali, 1951. It was bought from the artist in 1952, a purchase which was controversial at the time.
#kelvingrove #dali #christofstjohnofthecross #glasgow
#kelvingrove #dali #christofstjohnofthecross #glasgow
A beautiful piece of graffiti I passed today. It’s a word I love, and make no apology for that. It has a million meanings; context is everything. And the sun was picking out that very stone. The adjacent saltire, possibly by another hand, adds even more ambiguity.
#graffiti #saltire
#graffiti #saltire
January 2, 2026 at 5:53 PM
In Keil Cemetery I came across this memorial, and I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The carved stone is encased in iron, but if the intention was preservation, it hasn’t worked, as both iron and stone are quietly crumbling.
#keilcemetery #kintyre #graveyard
#keilcemetery #kintyre #graveyard
January 1, 2026 at 6:41 PM
In Keil Cemetery I came across this memorial, and I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The carved stone is encased in iron, but if the intention was preservation, it hasn’t worked, as both iron and stone are quietly crumbling.
#keilcemetery #kintyre #graveyard
#keilcemetery #kintyre #graveyard
Just along the road from the hotel sits Keil Cemetery. It is still the burial place for local communities, but it’s also where St Columba supposedly first set foot in Scotland on his way to Iona in 653CE. The ruined chapel is C13, and hidden by thriving vegetation!
#keilcemetery #stcolumba #kintyre
#keilcemetery #stcolumba #kintyre
January 1, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Just along the road from the hotel sits Keil Cemetery. It is still the burial place for local communities, but it’s also where St Columba supposedly first set foot in Scotland on his way to Iona in 653CE. The ruined chapel is C13, and hidden by thriving vegetation!
#keilcemetery #stcolumba #kintyre
#keilcemetery #stcolumba #kintyre
A few final items from my week on the Kintyre peninsula. On the southern end is a small place called Keil, and this is the Keil Hotel. As you might guess from its style, it was built in 1939, and operated until 1990. It now stands decaying.
#keilhotel #kintyre #scotland
#keilhotel #kintyre #scotland
January 1, 2026 at 6:26 PM
A few final items from my week on the Kintyre peninsula. On the southern end is a small place called Keil, and this is the Keil Hotel. As you might guess from its style, it was built in 1939, and operated until 1990. It now stands decaying.
#keilhotel #kintyre #scotland
#keilhotel #kintyre #scotland
Perhaps the most interesting part of my visit to Saddell Abbey was the graveyard around the remains. I love an old cemetery. Although it has been in occasional use recently, most of it is falling into gentle - and rather beautiful - decay.
#saddell #saddellabbey #cemetery #graveyard
#saddell #saddellabbey #cemetery #graveyard
December 29, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Perhaps the most interesting part of my visit to Saddell Abbey was the graveyard around the remains. I love an old cemetery. Although it has been in occasional use recently, most of it is falling into gentle - and rather beautiful - decay.
#saddell #saddellabbey #cemetery #graveyard
#saddell #saddellabbey #cemetery #graveyard
The remains of the abbey may be few, but there are the Saddell Stones to see. There are several hundred of these stones surviving; twelve at Saddell. The men in armour are from Iona, but the others are thought to have been made at Saddell.
#saddell #saddellabbey #saddellstones #lordoftheisles
#saddell #saddellabbey #saddellstones #lordoftheisles
December 29, 2025 at 8:28 PM
The remains of the abbey may be few, but there are the Saddell Stones to see. There are several hundred of these stones surviving; twelve at Saddell. The men in armour are from Iona, but the others are thought to have been made at Saddell.
#saddell #saddellabbey #saddellstones #lordoftheisles
#saddell #saddellabbey #saddellstones #lordoftheisles
Also at Saddell are the remains of an abbey. Saddell Abbey was founded around 1148, and although small, survived into the C16. Few documents survive to flesh out its history, and there are few visible remains.
#saddell #saddellabbey #kintyre #abbey
#saddell #saddellabbey #kintyre #abbey
December 29, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Also at Saddell are the remains of an abbey. Saddell Abbey was founded around 1148, and although small, survived into the C16. Few documents survive to flesh out its history, and there are few visible remains.
#saddell #saddellabbey #kintyre #abbey
#saddell #saddellabbey #kintyre #abbey
Grip by Antony Gormley on the beach at Saddell. It’s one of five of his works commissioned to celebrate fifty years of the Landmark Trust, one of whose properties is right by the beach (third picture). (Tide and light prevented a better picture!)
#antonygormley #saddell #landmarktrust #sculpture
#antonygormley #saddell #landmarktrust #sculpture
December 28, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Grip by Antony Gormley on the beach at Saddell. It’s one of five of his works commissioned to celebrate fifty years of the Landmark Trust, one of whose properties is right by the beach (third picture). (Tide and light prevented a better picture!)
#antonygormley #saddell #landmarktrust #sculpture
#antonygormley #saddell #landmarktrust #sculpture
One final piece of history from Skipness. In the field next to the chapel is a concrete arrow, difficult to see on the ground. In WW1, this area was used for training Fairey Swordfish pilots to drop torpedos, and the arrow was part of their trial run.
#ww1 #faireyswordfish #torpedoplane #skipness
#ww1 #faireyswordfish #torpedoplane #skipness
December 27, 2025 at 5:22 PM
One final piece of history from Skipness. In the field next to the chapel is a concrete arrow, difficult to see on the ground. In WW1, this area was used for training Fairey Swordfish pilots to drop torpedos, and the arrow was part of their trial run.
#ww1 #faireyswordfish #torpedoplane #skipness
#ww1 #faireyswordfish #torpedoplane #skipness
The view from what was the main gate of Skipness Castle, the Isle of Arran across the water.
#skipness #skipnesscastle #kintyre #scotland #history
#skipness #skipnesscastle #kintyre #scotland #history
December 27, 2025 at 5:14 PM
The view from what was the main gate of Skipness Castle, the Isle of Arran across the water.
#skipness #skipnesscastle #kintyre #scotland #history
#skipness #skipnesscastle #kintyre #scotland #history
Skipness Chapel is around 200 metres from the castle, and roughly the same age. Dedicated to St Brendan, it contains some interesting headstones, and is still occasionally used for burials.
#skipness #skipnesschapel #kintyre #history #chapel
#skipness #skipnesschapel #kintyre #history #chapel
December 27, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Skipness Chapel is around 200 metres from the castle, and roughly the same age. Dedicated to St Brendan, it contains some interesting headstones, and is still occasionally used for burials.
#skipness #skipnesschapel #kintyre #history #chapel
#skipness #skipnesschapel #kintyre #history #chapel
Skipness Castle, begun in the 1200s, and much altered over the following three hundred years. In a beautiful, but strategically important, spot.
#skipness #skipnesscastle #kintyre #scotland #castle
#skipness #skipnesscastle #kintyre #scotland #castle
December 27, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Skipness Castle, begun in the 1200s, and much altered over the following three hundred years. In a beautiful, but strategically important, spot.
#skipness #skipnesscastle #kintyre #scotland #castle
#skipness #skipnesscastle #kintyre #scotland #castle
The beach at Carradale Bay on a sunny Boxing Day. Almost deserted, except for two or three dogs taking their servants for a walk.
#carradale #carradalebay #carradalebeach #kintyre
#carradale #carradalebay #carradalebeach #kintyre
December 26, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The beach at Carradale Bay on a sunny Boxing Day. Almost deserted, except for two or three dogs taking their servants for a walk.
#carradale #carradalebay #carradalebeach #kintyre
#carradale #carradalebay #carradalebeach #kintyre
Kildonan Dun, a few miles north of Campbeltown. These fortified settlements share many characteristics with brochs. This one was built in the 1st or 2nd century CE, occupied intermittently for fifteen centuries, and later used as a stock enclosure.
#dun #kildonandun #kintyre #history
#dun #kildonandun #kintyre #history
December 24, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Kildonan Dun, a few miles north of Campbeltown. These fortified settlements share many characteristics with brochs. This one was built in the 1st or 2nd century CE, occupied intermittently for fifteen centuries, and later used as a stock enclosure.
#dun #kildonandun #kintyre #history
#dun #kildonandun #kintyre #history
While our scribe is off stuffing a tree into a goose … or something … we wish you all a Merry Christmas.
We’ll make sure the scribe works harder next year, and releases more of our adventures, but in the meantime, enjoy the holidays!
#christmas #merrychristmas
We’ll make sure the scribe works harder next year, and releases more of our adventures, but in the meantime, enjoy the holidays!
#christmas #merrychristmas
December 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
While our scribe is off stuffing a tree into a goose … or something … we wish you all a Merry Christmas.
We’ll make sure the scribe works harder next year, and releases more of our adventures, but in the meantime, enjoy the holidays!
#christmas #merrychristmas
We’ll make sure the scribe works harder next year, and releases more of our adventures, but in the meantime, enjoy the holidays!
#christmas #merrychristmas
Some of the rock formations along the coast of Kintyre are spectacular. These images are from near Skipness, and I think show layers of sedimentary rock, forced almost vertical by shifting plates, and then eroded over time. Any geologists are welcome to put me right!
#skipness #kintyre #geology
#skipness #kintyre #geology
December 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
December 23, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Campbeltown Picture House, from 1913, and one of the first purpose-built cinemas in Scotland. It had a full makeover in 2017, has a largely intact interior from 1935, and is now owned and run as a community business.
#campbeltown #campbeltownpicturehouse #kintyre
#campbeltown #campbeltownpicturehouse #kintyre
December 23, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Campbeltown Picture House, from 1913, and one of the first purpose-built cinemas in Scotland. It had a full makeover in 2017, has a largely intact interior from 1935, and is now owned and run as a community business.
#campbeltown #campbeltownpicturehouse #kintyre
#campbeltown #campbeltownpicturehouse #kintyre