Scottish Highlands?

Richard

I'm planning a short trip to Edinburgh in early June and am hoping to spend a weekend in the highlands, mainly the Isle of Skye. Looking for tips on photo ops there and en route. Also any recommendations for places to stay or eat would also be welcome. Thanks.

GSPeP

A lot of information should already be available here: https://www.isleofskye.com/

Last time I was there was in 2006. It can be reached by bridge or by ferry. We did both, but the views from the ferry are very nice.

GSPeP

This was the tour we did. Started in Applecross, via the Isle of Skye, down to Oban.

pathfinder

I wish I was returning. I think a week end is going to be way too short, but it is what you have. There is so much to see and photograph on Skye. I want to spend some more time on the western Scottish Isles.

I think you do want to see Eileen Donan Castle - which you probably already have seen years ago in the opening scenes of "The Highlander" -- http://www.eileandonancastle.com Unfortunately you can spend a whole day and more just there.

You might also want to see Castle DunVegan - http://www.dunvegancastle.com

If you have to choose just one, spend a day at Eileen Donan and stay until after sunset -

Ruthven Barracks is another spot to spend a few hours, again sunset is best for photography - but it is in the Cairngorn on your way from Edinburgh maybe? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruthven_Barracks

If you're not into history and old buildings, hike up and see the Old Man of Storr - that will take a few hours up and back, - it is a good hike up in the dark before sunrise - https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/top-ten-skye-walks/old-man-of-storr

If you want mountains and moors , look into hiking around Buachaille Etive Mor - not on Skye but on the mainland near Glencoe - https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/buachailleetivemor.shtml

These are way too much for just a couple days, but they should get you started.

Keep an eye out for Highland cattle - sometimes if you're lucky, they come with rainbows too :-)

Portree is a lovely small community on the shore of Skye - well worth a bit of street shooting, I think you might enjoy it greatly

We drove over to Skye, but I am sure the ferry from Oban is a great trip.

A visit to Scotland isn't really complete without a tour through a Scotch distillery - https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/talisker-distillery-visitors-centre-p418581

There is also a Tallisker distillery on the Isle of Mull, and a Dalwhinnie Distillery on the mainland, which I enjoyed - https://www.discovering-distilleries.com/dalwhinnie/

These suggestions should get you started, and hopefully excited about visiting Skye and Scotland. PM me if you have more questions, I may have a few more answers.

Richard

Thanks for the tips, everyone. We'll be staying at Greshornish, in the north of the island. There won't be nearly enough time to see everything, but that's almost always true when traveling. City rat that I am, I rarely get to do any landscape photography and I'm hoping the weather cooperates. If not, I guess I'll just have to explore single-malt whiskies. Either way it should be nice.

David_S85

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNjgxoqtPUY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMWB9UNGBM0

Note the wind! That Photo workshop in progress up on the left peak there in the second video might very well have been Andy with Muench Workshops as they had their Isle of Skye workshop going the same day Thomas shot this.

Richard

Sunrise will be at 4:30 AM when I'm there, so I have no intention of shooting it. Sunset is around 10:20 PM, which is more reasonable. I'm definitely way too sedentary to do landscape photography very often, but I'll give it a try. I don't think my tripod will fit in my suitcase, so I'm resigned to touristy pics.

puzzledpaul

I'm no LS 'tog' so feel free to ignore.
I wonder how much difference being - dare I say - low down will make to most LS pics? ... I suspect not a lot, but will, no doubt be corrected by those who know otherwise.

Yes. I realise that some pics - like having a leading line hedge / fence / wall etc will be somewhat compromised / different if the cam's on the ground the wrong side of the scene

All I'm wondering is whether taking a half decent 'table top' tripod would be a decent compromise ... or even a bean bag (empty, and fill with appropriate stuff upon arrival in SNP land)
Obviously a beanbag rested on a suitable available feature (if present) can give other options.

I'm only saying any of this because I was in a similar situation when I took the 'birds, turbines, sunset pic on my flickr page - I rested the cam on top of an electrical control box on the pier, supported by beanbag ... and a crude 'turntable' (to make pano shots easier) - TTable made from bits of scrap material from a local skip - and done with the 500mm as that's all I had.

Just a thought.

pp

pathfinder

I actually have some images of Ruthven Barracks shot while lying prone in grass, so low down can be very worthwhile for landscape and architecture shots, I think.

MBF

You say you are staying in the north. Great locations are the Quairang, Old Man of Storr and Neist Point (which is on the west coast of Skye and an afternoon shoot).

kdog

@MBF said:
You say you are staying in the north. Great locations are the Quairang, Old Man of Storr and Neist Point (which is on the west coast of Skye and an afternoon shoot).

Welcome to Dgrin, MBF! Just as a tip, you may want to check the posting dates of threads to which you respond. This particular thread by Richard was made in 2017. Rest assured though, your suggestions are still relevant and useful for future readers.

And of course if you have any pictures from those locations, by all means post them in the Landscapes forum!

Signed, your friendly Landscapes moderator.

johnyork12

Hi Richard !

I am not sure how old this thread is, and it is likely that you already did your trip in Scotland. Whatever, for anybody passing by in the future, I'll leave my tip too :)

I have to say I am a big Scotland lover - everything, including the highlands, the Hebrides, Edinburgh, everything seems fantastic to me. However, the last time I went (summer 2019), I had a big crush on Orkney. Those islands seemed to me so unique, with a very special light at dawn, a true paradise for photography. I'd definitely recommend the trip over there for travelers wishing to know a different aspect of Scotland.

Another thing I learnt during my several trips in Scotland : nature can be tough, and better being covered if you carry an expensive gear. Once I got surprised by a heavy rain, and my camera didn't bear it. That's why now I always travel with a proper camera insurance (there are basic covers very cheap, it is worth comparing though, for example here: https://hello-safe.co.uk/camera-insurance).

Well, with this stupid Covid, I am not sure about when we will be able to travel, but let's hope soon :)

Keep safe everybody, cheers,