The Shining River Spey

The River Spey at Grantown-on-Spey

Yesterday's need to take the car to the garage for repairs (see previous post) left me with a few hours to wander beside the nearby River Spey. The swirling river was a deep, rich blue, full with recent rain and snow melt. Overhead dark fast-moving storm clouds sped by, split at times by short-lived flashes of sunshine. Far upstream I could see snow on the hills.

Between the surging water and the racing sky the strips of trees along the river banks were a reminder of a solid world. Even then their reflections in the water shivered and shimmered.

Tree Reflections

Mostly the water was so dark, almost black, that it was impentratable. If it had been still it could have been solid. Moving it looked thick, almost oily. In places though it had overflowed onto the little sandy bays that dot the riverside and here the golden rippled sand was clear under the water.

Ripples in Sand

As the sun sank lower and started to dip below the clouds its shafts of light grew stronger and sharper, turning the river and the clouds silver. The light was marvellous and I was glad the mundane nuisance of a burst tyre had brought about the wondrous magic of this stroll by the river.
 

Silver River, Silver Clouds