The locks at Fort Augustus
Travelling on the first leg of our 'sense of place' tour I'm struck by how disappointing 'social housing' is. Surely planners can commission designers with some skills so that housing can be somewhere people are pleased to call 'home'? We passed through Dumfries where it was immediately obvious when we passed over the bypass into an area where there was less care, less interest in how the place looked. This was then mirrored by the litter, graffiti shops etc. It isn't difficult to encourage people to respect the 'place' they live, lots of areas manage it. The new housing scheme in Aviemore is a great example of rented, shared and full ownership in houses that look good, aren't all the same and are surrounded by green space.
Travelling on to Fort Augustus at the side of Loch Ness I'm struck by how much easier it is for people who travel light to get through from the loch to the canal. The large power boats have to wait and take a long time to progress up or down. The canoes, kayaks and cyclists on the great glen train simply pass in minutes. Is this an example of less is better?
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