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hmcclaff.bsky.social
TMBtrain
@hmcclaff.bsky.social
1.2K followers 980 following 1.5K posts
Hiker, nature lover, sunny days. Photos my own unless reposts. I don't do AI. No DMs plz.

Physiology research full time and MSc student in Wildlife Biology and Conservation in spare time.

Groups:
sccan.scot/easterbreichwood/
avnatureaction.wordpress.com
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hmcclaff.bsky.social
It was one of those walks that had a bit of everything! This walk finished with a bit of history. We passed an old fireplace with enough of the ruin left to image it being used and wonder who lived there. More info in the alt text about Rob Roys grave.
An old fireplace ruin covered in mossy plant growth with the shape of the hearth at the back. There were no walls left! Rob Roy and his families gravestones. There are 3 main stones flat on the ground and an upright tombstone enscribed MacGregor despite them. There is an iron railing installed around the stones which visitors have tied ribbons to. They have also left coins and other small tokens on top of the grave (including a small bottle containing 55% whisky). Ruins of the original Kirk with a bench in the foreground and a tomb. Tall trees (yew?) stand behind the remaining wall and in the background on the right stands the current Kirk of Balquhidder.
February 15, 2026 at 9:37 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
It was a cold hike around zero degrees but with some impressive icicles on the hill along with some very weird ice blobcicles 😀
Long icicles drape down from the hillside. There is grassy areas and some snow in the foreground. Strange blobular ice formations in a grape like structure. There are some ice 'fingers' at the bottom of the formation.
February 15, 2026 at 9:37 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Pics from yesterdays walk to see Rob Roy's putting stone. I didnt notice the face on the stone until later! The stone is massive (house sized) which unfortunately is hard to tell without any people beside it for scale! #scotland #trossachs #RobRoy
A winter scene of snow and hills with a giant rock on the right. It has a snow covered side but with what looks like a funny face! Mountains in snow, with a distance peak topped with fluffy clouds. A colour photo of a black and white scene! Photo of a lochan with a coating of ice and reflection of sunlight on the surface. The other side of the huge stone which appears to have fallen from the crag on the right of the photo. The stone has several pine trees growing on the top, presumably safe from the deer!
February 15, 2026 at 9:37 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#FridayBee a fluffy bumblebee foraging on a purple flower #BeeFriday #pollinators 🐝🌺
A close up photo of a black and yellow bumblebee which is drinking from a purple flower. Its large eyes are looking towards the camera and pollen grains are visible on its head. The antennae are pointing forward above the flower and the wings are stretched out behind its thorax.
February 13, 2026 at 8:15 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#thicktrunktuesday #calderwood #westlothian #ancientwoodland 🌳
A snowy woodland scene where the sun going down bathes a big tree in warm light.
February 10, 2026 at 6:47 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#insectthursday a small copper butterfly seen last September in Edinburgh - only 5 months ago but feels like a year! #citynature #cemetery
A close up photo of an orange and brown butterfly sitting on top of yellow ragwort flowers. It is side on to the camera and facing right. Its large eye is framed with white. It has white legs and striped antennae.
February 5, 2026 at 12:49 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#thicktrunktuesday in the Meadows 🌳
A large tree in winter. It leans to the right and sits in a park with grass and a blue sky behind.
February 3, 2026 at 6:31 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#BeeFriday a white-tailed bumblebee from August last year - feeding on something that I don't know the name of but bees seem to like! 🐝💮🌺🌸 #FridayBee #summertime #nature
A close-up photo of a bumblebee facing the camera. It has a fluffy lions mane and yellow hair on its face. One of its wings is captured facing straight up in the photo while an antennae sticks out on the right hand side. It is feeding on pale pink tiny flowers.
January 30, 2026 at 9:58 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#insectthursday a red admiral butterfly feeding in late summer last year 🦋🔆🪷
A photo taken on a sunny day. A red admiral butterfly in profile view is feeding on lilac petalled flowers. The proboscis and antennae are visible.
January 29, 2026 at 3:55 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#insectthursday where we flip back through our photos to summer sunny days 🌞😀🦋🏵🌸🌼
An orange comma butterfly feeding on purple budleia The underwing of the comma butterfly showing the white 'comma' marking that give it it's name
January 22, 2026 at 7:16 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
A big city garden beech tree for #thicktrunktuesday 🌳
January 20, 2026 at 4:23 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
A year in the life of a distinctive little oak tree that I regularly pass. #4seasons
A photo collage of a tree in different seasons starting with winter in the snow, spring, then lush with leaves in the summer and the changing leaves in autumn. The main trunk is on the left and the branches stretch towards the right across the photo.
January 18, 2026 at 6:39 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Good morning from Edinburgh today where there was a shepherd's warning about something! #StGilesCathedral #Scotland
A photo of a cathedral with a red sky behind
January 16, 2026 at 9:38 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#insectthursday a very small solitary bee on a daisy 🐝
A photo of a solitary bee sitting on the yellow of a daisy.
January 15, 2026 at 5:58 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#thicktrunktuesday I was impressed by this big tree 🌳 sitting beside Loch Katrine in the Trossachs.
A large tree sits on a slope. There is a loch on the left of the pic with mountain behind, a track curves round on the right of the pic. The ground is still orange in places from the autumn.
January 13, 2026 at 6:29 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Some calm winter days make for perfect walks. One of my favourite woodlands #easterbreichwood #midwinter #westlothian
Winter blue sky scene of a pond frozen with a layers of snow on top. The pond is surrounded with trees.
January 12, 2026 at 11:34 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Without winter we would not be so appreciative of the summer! #woodsinwinter #Calderwood #ancientbirch
A winter scene from an ancient birch wood. The snow covers branches and lies on the ground. The sun is shining warm but low behind the trees, the light catching ice crystals.
January 10, 2026 at 9:49 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Once upon a time it was summer!🐝#BeeFriday a red-tailed male bumblebee from July which seems so long ago!🐝Happy Friday! #moustache #Fridaybee #bumblebees #summertime
A photo of a fluffy red-tailed male bumblebee. The bee is facing the camera with his yellow moustache very prominent. The bee is sitting on top of yellow ragwort buds that have not yet opened. He has a yellow collar and legs that are fringed with red hairs!
January 9, 2026 at 9:35 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Posting a pic of c.4000 yrs old Clava cairns for midwinter solstice today. The sunrise would be aligned to the opening of the cairns today #bronzeage #cairn #history #Scotland
A wide stone covered chamber with larger stones forming the outer edge. The opening of the cairn faces the camera. It is surrounded by mature trees and grass. Pic taken on a sunny day in September.
December 21, 2025 at 10:54 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#beeFriday It's not often I feel like offering advice to a bumblebee but it did look like it was time to return to the nest 😄 #Fridaybee
A bumblebee foraging on purple budleia carrying large amounts of pollen on its pollen baskets on its hind legs A foraging bumblebee on purple budleia background. Pic taken from above showing large amounts of pollen on the pollen baskets.
December 19, 2025 at 7:43 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#insectthursday three species sharing the last of the flowers in the kirkyard in September 🦋🐝🦟
A purple budleia bloom with the stone wall of a church behind. There is a red admiral butterfly on the left with wings open, a common carder bumblebee in the middle and a hoverfly on the top facing left. It's a bright sunny day with blue sky in the background.
December 18, 2025 at 8:11 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Ah Edinburgh! How I adore thee and your beautiful trees 😊... but it is still November! This 2 months long Christmas thing is simply too much 😟
A photo taken yesterday of a fir tree in christmas lights with a golden sky from the setting sun behind. Street lights in front. The tree stands at the top of the mound in Edinburgh.
November 21, 2025 at 7:04 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
An ichneumonini, parasitic wasp. Just 👀 at his antennae! I had to flick back to September for the photo. #insectthursday #thestrangeworldofinsects
A long orange and black insect with very long antennae clings to the dried stalk of a plant.
November 20, 2025 at 8:02 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
They were a little freaked out with me running by at the loch lol the views from the top of a hill were worth it though!
An autumn scene with looking along a single track road with a sheep in the middle and nearby. A highland scene taken in autumn at Loch Morar with a blue sky and white clouds.
November 18, 2025 at 9:13 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
When I absolutely should be doing something else and get drawn back in to Bluesky again 😄 Here is a photo from beautiful Morar in Scotland from last week.
Looking down on a bay that leads to the island of Rum. A white hotel sits on the right. The sun is starting to set giving a warm glow.
November 18, 2025 at 1:43 PM