The Quoich – From New Angle

The Quoich – From New Angle

When I returned to the River Quoich to revisit the Punch Bowl, I wanted to see what happened when I stepped just a little off the usual path. This new angle immediately felt more intimate. Instead of standing back and watching the water charge through the channel, I found myself closer to the rock shelves, noticing how the river has carved its way through them over countless seasons.

Autumn’s Quiet Touch

This painting captures the Punch Bowl in autumn, when the forest settles into a calmer rhythm. The scene feels softer than my earlier spring version, where the river was in spate and full of drama. Here, the water still moves with purpose, but there’s a gentleness to its flow. The pale mist among the trees in the background hints at cooler days, while the foreground stones carry that muted autumn light I always enjoy painting.

What struck me most during this visit was how much detail the lower water level reveals. Deep cuts in the rock, smooth hollows shaped by years of swirling current, and the crisp edges where water meets stone — all of these features come forward when the river quietens.

A Landscape Shaped by Time

Standing by the bank, I noticed how the slabs of rock create natural steps and channels. Their subtle blues and greys catch the light differently depending on the angle, and the reflections in the water shift constantly. The trees on the right sit on a rising bank, their long shadows stretching across the slope, grounding the whole scene.

I was particularly drawn to the sense of depth created by the receding forest. The tall, slender trunks in the background fade into the mist, giving the impression of a much larger woodland just beyond sight.

Why I Returned

Painting the same subject twice might seem unusual, but the Punch Bowl changes with the seasons so profoundly that it feels like a completely different place each time. Spring gave me a wild, energetic scene. This autumn visit rewarded me with quietness, structure and space to notice the smaller details that often go unseen.

“The Quoich – From New Angle” is my way of celebrating that shift — the calmer voice of the river and the subtle beauty that emerges when the landscape pauses between seasons.

If you enjoy tranquil Scottish forest scenes and the hidden corners of Deeside, this painting offers a moment of stillness worth sharing.