Ferries in Loch Ryan

Glorious summer weather in South West Scotland for a trip to photograph the Stena line and P&O Ferries vessels operating between Stranraer and Belfast and Cairnryan and Larne. First of all, European Highlander enters Loch Ryan, en route to Cairnryan:

Some minutes later, Stena Navigator appears around the headland, rather behind schedule, poor old thing (but her lateness works very much to my advantage):

Meanwhile, Stena Caledonia is outbound from Stranraer...

Splendidly, the two old Sealink ferries pass in perfect light right in front of me. They were, of course, once the railway-owned St David and Champs-Elysees:

Further along Loch Ryan, a fine display of broom had thoughtfully planted itself to make a colourful foreground:

Stena Navigator approaches the berth at Stranraer:

Time for a short break in lovely Portpatrick for a cup of tea and some carrot cake:

...before heading for the lighthouse at the mouth of Loch Ryan to photograph Stena Navigator entering the Irish Sea:

In the distance, beyond the cows, the fast Stena HSS catamaran approaches:

And Norbay comes along too:

While European Highlander heads for Larne:

Portpatrick again, this time for a late luncheon:

Late-afternoon in Loch Ryan and Stena Caledonia is on her way back to Stranraer:

A golfer irrigates the rough, oblivious to Stena Caledonia's passage:

Off the Stena berth at Stranraer:

It's not often the Western Scotland feels like the Mediterranean: