I posted about Luss a couple of days ago.

Its War Memorial lies in a small enclosure beside Pier Road. It is a simple stone cross with embossed sword atop a hexagonal pedestal.
The dedication reads, “In grateful memory of the men of this parish who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-19,” with added below, “and in the war 1939-1945.” Second World War names lie after the ‘and’ of the World War 2 dedication, Great War names are on the two hexagonal sides flanking it.

From west. Great War names on facing side of hexagon:-

From east. Great War names on facing side of hexagon:-

Luss is a village on the shores of Loch Lomond in the west of Scotland. It’s about twelve or so miles from Dumbarton.

It was the village where most of the outside shots for the Scottish Television (STV) soap opera Take the High Road were filmed.

Luss from the village pier:-

Part of Luss from the other side of the pier:-

Luss Church:-

In the churchyard there is a Viking hogback stone:-

Just up from the church there is this curious bridge which seems to cross a small inlet of Loch Lomond:-

In the village itself there’s this cottage with (shallow) cat slide dormer windows:-

The Loch Lomond Arms is at the top of the road down to the pier:-

The names of some World War 2 fields of miltary operations are inscribed on the base of the pillars supprtoing the lintels of Stonehaven War Memorial.

“North Atlantic, Narvik”

“Dunkirk, Battle of Britain”

“El Alamein, Cassino”

“Normandy Beaches, Burma”

The World War 2 dead are commemorated in a series of four granite panels sitting by the Memorial’s pillars. The first is also inscribed with the dedication, “To the memory of those from the District of Stonehaven whose names are inscribed on these panels who lost their lives in the World War 1939 -1945,” as well as the names.

J Fraser Anderson – John Christie:-

William J Christie – James Mc I Findlay:-

Robert T Foster – George Masson:-

William Masson – Alexander R Williamson:-

The names of the Great War dead at Stonehaven War Memorial are inscribed on stone panels at the memorial’s centre.

James Adams – Frank Dallas:-

David Duncan – John Lennox:-

John Main – James Simpson:-

James Sinclair – Alex W Youngson:-

Stonehaven War Memorial interior:-

Wreaths and panel with Great War names, some World War 2 names on smaller panels behind:-

The interior of the lintel above the entrance is inscribed, “Erected by the people of Stonehaven and District. A tribute to their dead, 1914 – 1919”:-

The other interior lintels of the temple-like memorial are inscribed with the quote, from Donald Hankey‘s A Student in Arms, “One by one death challenged them, one by one they smiled in his grim visage and refused to be dismayed”:-

Stonehaven War Memorial sits prominently on Black Hill to the south of the town and is also visible from Dunnottar Castle. The winding path from the castle takes you towards Stonehaven and partly up Black Hill from where you can access the Memorial grounds.

View of Memorial from path leading from Dunnittar Castle:-

Stonehaven from Stonehaven War Memorial:-

Memorial from west as seen from the road back to Dunnottar Castle:-

An information board says the memorial was deliberately designed to look like a ruin to symbolise the lives cut short by the Great War:-

Stonehaven War Memorial from north:-

The external lintels are inscribed with the names of Great War battles, here Jutland, Mons, Ypres:-

From south, Zeebrugge, Gallipoli, Jutland:-

From southwest, Marne, Zeebrugge:-

From west, Vimy, Somme, Marne:-

From northwest, Mons, Ypres:-

Waterfall by Dunnottar Castle from approach path:-

Cliffs to south from approach path:-

Rocks below Dunnottar Castle:-

Cliffs to north and sea inlet, from Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven War Memorial on hilltop:-

Stonehaven War Memorial on hill:-

After our visit to Dunnottar Castle we took a footpath which (eventually) leads to Stonehaven. This afforded more views of the northern cliffs:-

And of the Castle looking back:-

Northern cliffs again:-

Cistern in courtyard. This ensured the castle’s water supply:-

Cistern from upper floor of main building:-

Interior (with windows):-

Window seat:-

View from a window:-

Sundial and Lintel:-

Sundial and coat of arms information board:-

Fireplace. Inscribed, “In commemoration of the defence of the honours of Scotland Sep 1651 – Aug 1652 by George Ogilvy of Barras, Governor of Dunnottar and of the help given by his wife Elizabeth Douglas and her kinswoman Anne Lindsay.” Scroll down for the story.

Part of Restored Ceiling (Regi et Regno):-

Restored ceiling (In Defens):-

Castle buildings:-

Small window in above:-

From sea end of site:-

Courtyard area from outside its wall:-

Remains of chapel:-

Interior of chapel:-

Remains (with arch; garden area in foreground):-

Garden area with buildings beyond. (Stonehaven War Memorial on hill in background):-

Buildings (chapel to right):-

Late afternoon shadows (sea beyond):-

Dunnottar Castle lies just south of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire. We had been meaning to visit there for some time but it wasn’t till January last year we finally made it.

Dunnottar Castle from approach path:-

As luck would have it we visited the National Gallery of Scotland shortly after and saw this stunning painting of the castle by Waller Hugh Paton:

As you can see it is perfectly situated from a defensive point of view, as it is perched on a rock poking out into the sea.

Castle entrance:-

Pattern in Stones on path leading up to castle:-

There’s a small tunnel like construction to go through before you reach the interior and the castle buildings:-