The Aonach Eagach is a ridge that I have been wanting to photograph for a long time now, I waited for a decent afternoon of weather to try for a high level ridge shot. I decided to photograph it from Sgorr nam Fiannaidh as the afternoon light would be casting shadows across it ensuring better definition and contrasts, the only problem with this decision is the horrendously steep and loose rocky climb from the Clachaig Inn to reach the summit but soon the views made up for the torture.

  The view from Sgorr nam Fiannaidh.

I took the opportunity to photograph across the glen as well and captured an image of the Three Sisters and Bidean nam Bian.

  Aonach Dubh.

Click on an image for larger versions and please visit the Glen Coe gallery for more images.

I've been waiting for a few months now for the weather to finally cheer up a bit and offer some opportunities for an excuse to get out and about with the camera in the hills. The forecast was for high pressure and settled conditions with fairly cloudless skies so I made a decision and headed for a return visit to Skye. I had previously captured quite a few images of the Sgurr Dearg section of the Cuillin ridge so decided that I'd concentrate on the Sgurr nan Gillean and Bruach na Frithe end.
I had in mind some specific images of Sgurr nan Gillean's Pinnacle ridge and of Am Basteir and the Bhasteir Tooth, after studying the maps I decided that a late afternoon shot from Sgurr a' Bhasteir would give me my best vantage point.
Conscious that sunset wasn't until 8pm, I had a leisurely morning pottering around before setting off from Sligachan at 2pm in very warm late March sunshine.
The walk up to the col below Sgurr a' Bhasteir was pleasant and leisurely but the ridge to the summit was steep and rocky in places so required mild scrambling especially as there was a very strong gusting wind blowing across the ridge. The summit once reached though provides some spectacular views across to Sgurr Dearg and Am Basteir.

  Sgurr nan Gillean and the Pinnacle Ridge.

  Am Basteir and the Bhasteir Tooth.

Once I had captured a few images of the great view across to the main ridge from Sgurr a' Bhasteir I took a windswept scramble up to Bruach na Frithe for the view along the rest of the Cuillin ridge. Its been said that the view from Bruach na Frithe is the best to appreciate the majority of the Cuillin ridge. Its certainly a fine view so I tried to capture the scene but the constant buffeting wind tried my patience a bit.

  The view from Bruach na Frithe.

For anyone wanting to climb one of the Cuillin peaks then Bruach na Frithe is probably the easiest if you take the route from Sligachan via Fionn Choire upto the main ridge with the easy but rocky walk to the trig point summit.

Map link to the described area, select the OS map option then scroll around and zoom in.

I had captured my images with about half an hour before sunset so with no more direct light left I started down but took a different route to my ascent. There were a few hairy moments in the gloom of dusk trying to find the return path and after a few stumbles over rough heather I finally made it back to my car in the gathering dark, timed to perfection!.

Please click on an image for large version or visit the Skye gallery.

I've had an image I wanted to capture of Ben Lui on my mind for about five years ever since I first climbed it. My friends and I had walked up the long approach of Glen Cononish in winter with a good covering of snow on the ground and in the hills. Ben Lui lies at the head of this glen and you tantalisingly get glimpses of it as the track winds along the river until it comes into full view. It dominates the view and in my mind an almost perfect example of how a mountain should look, bulky, pointy and enviting to climb. I knew I had to capture this view and waited a long time for the right conditions to come together. The forecast was not too good for this morning and I feared low cloud but on waking I realised that it was going to be a cloudless and still but frozen morning, I was even more delighted when I realised that it had snowed overnight leaving an inch of pristine dry and powdery snow.
My intended viewpoint was 2 or 3 miles up the glen so I decided to bike there and not spend time walking in the dark, a very pleasant ride it was in the subdued dawn light without a breath of wind or sound.
Once I reached the bend in the river that I knew would give me the best view I had around 10 minutes to work before the sun rose, I made a few images before sunrise but the optimum time was just on sunrise when the first rays of light glanced across the upper snow clad slopes of the northern ridges.

  Ben Lui over the Cononish river.



Please click on an image for large or visit the Crianlarich area Gallery.

Knoydart is a remote mountainous area on the west coast of Scotland, there is no road access to the small community and the only way to enter the area is a long walk or by small passenger ferry. Knoydart remains one of the least habited and remotest places in Scotland but does contain some very fine mountains that are characterised by rocky and complex craggy features that exagerate the desolate feel of this region.
I had walked through Knoydart quite a few years ago before I took up photography and it struck me then what a fantastically wild and unspoilt place it was, I had to return and photograph the character of the area.
I could have made the long walk in from either Kinloch Hourn or Glen Dessarry but probably would have had to camp or stay in a bothy for the few nights I would need to be there so I opted for the civilised choice and took the small ferry from Mallaig to the only village of Inverie. There is some bed & breakfast accommodation in Inverie but I chose to stay at the Knoydart Foundation Bunkhouse which is very well equipped, friendly and cosy, I still travelled fairly light so ate evening meals in the remotest pub in Britain, the Old Forge and very hospitable it was too.
My main objectives were the main mountains of this area and a flavour of the wild and remote character of Knoydart, I made two walks to various vantage points both being 8 hour treks such is the space and grandeur here.

  Jewel of Knoydart, Ladhar Bheinn.

A magnificent mountain with impressive north facing coires and crags, regarded by many as the jewel of Knoydart.

  Diamonds and Gems, the hills to the east.

If Ladhar Bheinn is regarded as the jewel then I think Ben Aden, Sgurr na Ciche and Garbh Chioch Mhor can be regarded as the diamonds and gems.

  Gleann na Guiserein.

This large and lonely glen typifies the wild and desolate nature of Knoydart, you can stand on almost any summit and just see uninterupted mountains in most directions.

  Leave the light on for me...

After a fabulous day on the hills there was still a long walk back, light streaming up Gleann an Dubh Lochain guiding the way.


Please click on an image to enlarge or vist my Knoydart gallery for more.

I have been into the Cairngorms quite a few times now both for walking and photography and have been quite impressed with the Devil's Point when viewed from the south so I made an appointment to return for some pre-visualised images.
Due to its south-east facing aspect it is predominently a sunrise or early morning location, I ruled out summer as I'm not overkeen on the greens or 4:30am sunrises...or midges for that matter looking for a breakfast.
I decided that I would give mid October a try as the best compromise between the favourable sunrise and Autumn colours, deep winter would also have been an option but a chance arose so I took it.
I had already pre-planned the location I wanted to be at for sunrise on previous visits, being about 6 miles from the nearest car park. Sunrise in mid October is at a very civilised time of around 07:45 so I had the option to camp out near by or walk in. I decided to walk in as I knew that I could ride my mountain bike approximately 4 miles along a very good track which would greatly reduce the time I would need travelling in the dark.
I hid my bike behind a tree and continued on foot for the next 45 minutes or so and reached my destination just after sunrise and just as the Sun started illuminating my subject and surroundings, I'm getting good or lucky with my timings!

  The Devil's Point.

Once I had achieved my intended shots I decided to explore a little bit and carried on down to the river to see if I could capture further shots.
The river Dee has its source up in the Cairngorm mountains and eventually flows out to sea at Aberdeen. Whilst I was sitting on the river bank and eating my sandwiches I decided to try a few long exposures out for an alternative view. Long exposures during daylight can be an aquired taste but I think they do add a certain degree of interest if used sparingly now and again.

  The river Dee, Devil's Point and Lairig Ghru.

The image above was taken using a shutter speed of 30 seconds, to achieve this I had to greatly reduce the amount of light entering so used a ten stop ND filter attached to my lens.

Click to enlarge an image and please visit the Cairngorms gallery for more images.

I recently had the opportunity to head to the far north of Scotland with the aim of climbing the two most northern 3000ft Munro peaks, Ben Hope and Ben Klibreck. I was able quite comfortbly to climb both of these in the same day which left me a bit of time in the evening to try and photograph one of Scotland's lesser known mountains.

Ben Loyal is just to the south of the village of Tongue and is most often seen in these parts looking up the Kyle of Tongue where it appears as a jagged outline but I feel one of the best views of it is from a small loch which lies much closer to it. The first evening I visited the light didn't really show off the mountain very well although I took a few shots just in case but the second evening proved very worthwhile for my persistence to wait.

  Ben Loyal over Loch Hakel.

I had just showered and had my dinner after climbing the two Munros when I noticed the cloud breaking up and clearing for what would be a fine sunset. I was tired and didn't fancy the prospect of having to once more fight off the dreaded midges again but I knew there was an opportunity that I couldn't let slip so I made my way down to Loch Hakel for the second time and waited to see what would happen.

I patiently waited for the clouds to break and the Sun to dip low to the horizon, all the time hoping for the slight breeze to fall to provide the reflections but this would mean the midges swarming over me - a real torment of a dilemma.

Anyway, the clouds broke and the Sun just dipped below them before setting and the ripples in the water smoothed out to provide the reflections for a brief 5 minutes - and even the midges were kind to stop biting for a while whilst I got the shot I had been waiting for.

Please click to enlarge and visit the Assynt, Inverpolly & far North gallery for more.

The Fisherfield and Letterewe Forests in the north west of Scotland is an area that is regarded as one of the remotest and possibly last vestiges of wilderness left in Britain. There aren't actually any trees left in these forests but the area keeps the name from a time when there would have been widespread native tree cover. The mountains are rocky and rugged, there is a remote and 'detached from civilisation' kind of feel but the term wilderness is stretching the imagination a bit, I think personally.

According to the Ordnance Survey it officially contains the remotest spot in the UK, a point on Ruadh Stac Beag that is the furthest place away from any public road, about 6.5 miles. This doesn't actually sound much as the crow flies and it wouldn't be if you could walk this in a straight line but the area is characterised by deep glens, big rugged mountains and expansive lochs making a journey into the heart of this place around 15 miles on foot.

Please use the map I have linked to that will open in a new page for reference.

Map of Letterewe and Fisherfield

There are four usual entry points, Dundonnel, Loch a' Bhraoin and Incheril but I chose to start my journey at Poolewe. I had decided before I left that I would have to camp out in this area to maximise my chances of achieving some decent shots as I would only have a few infrequent opportunities to visit this area considering the time and effort to reach my intended subjects. Starting at Poolewe has the advantage of being able to cycle about 10 miles along estate roads and paths which considerably shortens the trip. Although trying to ride a bike on a rocky path with a top heavy rucsac full of camping and photographic gear is perhaps not to be recommended to anyone who values a long and injurt-free life, on a few occasions I had to resort to pushing 30 pounds of iron as well as carrying my load!

Once I reached the causeway I made camp and then had time to wait for sunset which turned out very pleasant.

  The Causeway and evening campsite.

I took several photos in the evening light and enjoyed the interesting setting even though the dreaded midges took it upon themselves to make my stay a torment, my newly purchased hat and midge net though just about kept them at bay.

  A' Mhaighdean over Dubh Loch.

The aim of this trip was to get a feeling of the remoteness and to climb the two Munro 3000ft peaks and so the objective for the next day would be to climb Ruadh Stac Mor and A' Mhaighdean. I woke at 4am and climbed a nearby peak to get a sunrise view of Beinn Lair, once I'd done this then it was breakfast then I set off to climb the two hills.

  Wild Maiden, the view from A' Mhaighdean.

Ruadh Stac Mor isn't a particularly photogenic mountain but I climbed it anyway, handy to have done if I ever want to complete the list of 3000ft Munro peaks..!
The main aim of this walk though was the view from the summit of A' Mhaighdean, The Maiden. It is certainly one of the remotest mountains in the UK and reputedly has one of the best views, well conditions for photography probably weren't the best they could have been while I was there but I think you can perhaps imagine that the view was pretty fabulous.

Please click on an image to enlarge and visit the Letterewe and Loch Maree gallery for more.

 

Just a quick update on activities and to enthuse about the merits of photographing at sunrise despite the downside of having to wake up at very early hours.
I made a trip to Sky recently and stayed overnight in a hostel with the intention of photographing Blaven at sunrise from an opposite summit. I woke early and travelled along the Elgol road but didn't feel too inspired to make the hour climb of the peak as it was a fairy cloudless morning and not promising too much drama but I did notice the wonderful calm atmosphere over Loch Cill Chriosd as I passed by.
I took the decision to abandon the summit climb and opted to try and capture some of the sunrise atmosphere over the loch, my tiredness and laziness could have been the deciding factor though.!

Beinn na Caillich sunrise.

Prior to the Sun rising there was a beautiful calm stillness over the loch with just a gentle rolling of cloud and mist. Even at 04:30 it was warm but a fabulous feeling of freshness and tranquility.

Blaven Shroud.

Once the Sun had risen I turned 180 degrees and noticed the mist was partially covering the distant Blaven but was slowly unveiling and formed a misty shroud. I took the opportunity to photograph it as it had been my main priority this particular morning so at least I felt that my early morning wake up wasn't in vain, it could even be a better photo than if I had climbed Beinn na Cailich as intended.

Please click an image to enlarge or visit the Skye Gallery for more.

My Assynt and Inverpolly gallery has been lacking a few photos for a while so I thought I'd better spend a bit of time there to get a few images that I have had my mind on. The area is studded with some fascinating but smaller sized hills compared with other Highland areas but are very interesting non the less. I decided to spend a night out in my tent and planned to maximise my chances of getting my intended shots so it called for a full on weekend assault.

I arrived late afternoon and climbed Stac Pollaidh in the hope of a decent sunset, it was quite nice to be up on the summit alone as the Sun went down but the light was a bit indifferent so I decided that I would try again for sunrise. I woke early next day and climbed to the top well in time before sunrise.

  Suilven and Canisp from Stac Pollaidh.

The pre-sunrise skies turned a very deep red behind Suilven and Canisp, I decided to meter just for the reds in the sky and let the foreground fall into darkness, I don't usually do this style but thought it adds a certain mystique perhaps.

  Sleeping Dragon.

A more conventional shot for me, the light filtering through low lying mist, I had to shelter behind one of the rock outcrops to ensure no stray light entered the lens whilst I took this image.

  The hills of Coigach.

Once I had finished photographing towards the sunrise I crossed over to the other side of the summit ridge and looked across to the Coigach hills above Loch Lugainn, the distinctive tors of Stac Pollaidh being prominent.

The Sun soon rose quickly and became too contrasty and harsh so it was time to descend and head for a cafe for breakfast and coffee. I strolled around Ullapool for a while and took a sleep in my car as the Sun rose to midday. I then had a leisurely drive around to Lochinver from where I would be walking into Suilven. Suilven is a very distinctive mountain with a long ridge of two peaks, it can be seen from many places in the Assynt and Inverpolly area but it is quite remote with a 6 mile walk to the foot of it from any direction. I had decided a while ago that the best chances of getting reasonable shots of Suilven would be to camp on or near it and allow myself to photograph it at sunset and sunrise. I packed my camera gear and camping gear into my bulging rucsac and set of on a very warm afternoon, there would be little clouds towards the end of the day but at least I'd have some light to play with.
After a two hour walk I was at the foot of the bealach between the summits, I didn't fancy lugging my tent up onto the summit as I knew the tops were windy, there is no water there and I was aching all over..! I pitched the tent next to a lochan and got a brew of tea on and had my dinner of gloopy chilli con carne out of a packet. Soon though it was time to set off again up onto the summit but only with my camera gear and the steep climb to the bealach only took 30 minutes or so.

  Cul Mor from Suilven.

  Canisp and Suilven.

The summit of Suilven is surprisingly flat topped and would in actual fact make a perfect place to pitch a tent but once I had my images I descended back down to a cup of tea and sleep. I woke early again and packed the tent up and made a start back towards Lochinver in the hope of catching an early morning shot of Suilven in profile from a small lochan I had seen on the walk in.

  Suilven from Lochan Buidhe.

I was very lucky with this shot, the wind died down enough for a few seconds to let the water settle flat with a good reflection, I took the shot then the wind picked up again and ruined the reflections. I made my way back to Lochinver in an hour or so and rounded off a great trip into the Assynt and Inverpolly area.

Please click an image to enlarge or visit the Assynt and Inverpolly area gallery for more.

There is a range of hills just south of Fort William in the Scottish highlands that my friend and I have been talking about walking since our teenage years, for one reason or another we haven't got around to doing them until now, in our mid forties!
Ambitious as ever we decided that we could walk the 20 miles over the 10 Munros of the Mamore hills, camp out then return to our base by walking the 8 Munros of the Grey Corries on the opposite ridge. With great weather and great intentions and a great big heavy rucsac we set out on our mission. It soon dawned on us that perhaps we were a little too ambitious and a little too old and a little too unfit, never the less we persevered up onto the first Munro of Mullach nan Coirean and started to walk the long ridge into the distance.

Click on the Map link to see the area.

  Distant Mamores from Mullach nan Coirean.

It was a great day to be out walking in some of the fine hills of the west coast but with a strong haze in the sky it perhaps wasn't best for photography. I did make some mental notes to return in the winter as there will be some fabulous scenes in ice and snow coverage.
We continued along the main ridge and did a couple of out and back detours to climb the out-lying Munros, Sgurr a' Mhaim and the Devil's Ridge being particularly interesting.

  Sgurr a' Mhaim and the Devil's Ridge.

By half way along the ridge we had more or less decided that doing the Grey Corries the next day would be a walk too far so we settled on a wild camp between Binnein Mor and Binnein Beag. We would climb the last two hills in the morning and have a leisurely walk back to base camp making the Mamores a two day trip - far more civilised for middle aged men!

  Binnein Mor and Na Gruagaichean.

In the image below our wild camp was close to the top of the lochan between Binnein Mor and Binnein Beag. I woke before sunrise to get a shot from Binnein Beag, well I say woke, I actually didn't get any sleep as my legs and hips were so painful from carrying the heavy rucsac. It was actually a pleasure to get out of the tent and climb a hill with only my camera gear!

  Binnein Mor from Binnein Beag.

We then took a gentle walk back to Glen Nevis looking up to the Grey Corries and vowing to do them another day. All in all though a great trip over some very fine hills, perhaps not the best photographic conditions but I will definately back in winter when they should be at their best.

Please click on an image for larger or visit the Mamores gallery.

My photography is usually a solitary pursuit as I am often starting early or finishing late and tend to prefer spending a lot of time alone to ensure I capture my intended pictures but a few members of 1X.com decided to meet up in Glen Coe and spend some time socialising and sampling what the highlands has to offer.
I travelled for the meet on the Thursday night and took advantage of a sunset view from Ben A'an that I had been meaning to capture for a while.

  Loch Katrine from Ben A'an after sunset.

Then the following morning I woke early to take advantage of a sunrise location in the Arrochar Alps. I have planned a shot of Ben Arthur, or The Cobbler as it is probably better known, at sunrise for a long time now. The climb from Arrochar up through the forest is quite steep but after an hour I was in position well before the Sun had risen. I used the stream that flows away from the mountain as a focal element and leading line to the sunlit Cobbler.

  The cobbler at sunrise from Allt a Bhalachain.

Once I'd finished photographing from this location I carried on and climbed to the summit where great views were enjoyed.

  Beinn Ime and Ben Vane from the Cobbler.

After returning to Arrochar for a late breakfast I met up with Chris and we enjoyed some nice late evening light around Glen Coe and took advantage of very calm conditions which produced lovely reflections in Loch Achtriochtan.

  Loch Achtriochtan and the view up Glen Coe.

Soon we were ready to retire to the hotel and meet the others, after some fine company, food and a wee tipple or two we decided that we would get up early next day for a popular sunrise location on Rannoch Moor. Unfortunately the cloud cover was a bit too heavy with a light drizzle but I think we all made the most of the location and conditions.

  Lochan na h-Achlaise and the Black Mount hills.

We had a leisurely day eating, chatting and generally taking it easy but did take a trip as far as Glenfinnan where a few breaks in the clouds allowed a few shots to be captured.

  Glenfinnan rail viaduct.

On our way back to the hotel a few of us spotted some breaking light over Loch Linnhe so we made a quick stop to make some frantic images before the light disappeared.

  Loch Linnhe and the Ardgour peninsula.

Soon we were all back in the hotel for more food and a drink or two, some of us falling asleep at the table from too many early mornings, some of us taking midnight photos of a majestic highland stag.

All in all a very enjoyable get together and it was great to meet other photographers that share a passion with their photography.

Please click on an image to enlarge or visit the galleries.

My previous trip into the Cairngorms was from Deeside and concentrated on the big hills around the Lairig Ghru so for this trip I decided that I would tackle Cairn Gorm itself from the more popular Aviemore side. Cairn Gorm is perhaps better known for it's large rounded slopes that are well suited for skiers and snowboarders that are well catered for on the northern slopes. However, Cairn Gorm does also have some interesting features for the walker or climber, the northern corries are rugged and impressive and are a favourite location for both summer and winter climbing. Apparently the UK's only glacier forms in one of these corries but I have to say that I didn't recognise it if it was present.

  The northern corries from the Fiacaill ridge.

  Climbers in Coire an t-Sneachda.

There are actually four climbers in the above image, two are obvious and contemplating ascending but can you spot the other two? Look in the prominent gully near the top for a red jacket.....

The southern side of Cairn Gorm has some spectacular views into the heart of the area and the ruggedness is a stark contrast to the rounded plateau features that are commonly associated with the area.

  Shelter Stone crag from the southern slopes of Cairn Gorm.

  Cornice and crag at the head of Loch Avon.

There was a tremendous amount of snow covering this region on this trip and walking on occasion was quite difficult but I think I have got a reasonable taste of the place in winter conditions so now I'll wait until summer arrives for a few more shots that I still have in mind to round off the Cairngorms.

Please click on an image or visit the Cairngorms gallery for more.

The Cairngorms have been a bit of an enigma to me in the past and I have been a bit reluctant to make the effort to explore them and understand them, I'm still not convinced that they offer me the interest and excitement that I like when I make a trip into the hills. They are surely big and some peaks are quite remote requiring a lengthy walk in to appreciate them but in general they are rounded and relatively featureless compared with their west coast brethren.
I had been into the Lairig Ghru a previous summer but decided to make a concerted foray and decided that I'd concentrate on the Cairn Toul, Ben Macdui and Braeriach trio that encloses the Lairig Ghru. I wanted to approach from Braemar and the Linn of Dee and be in location at sunrise but considering that the walk in is about 8 miles, I knew that I would need to camp out closer to the hills. The Corrour bothy was the obvious choice for my overnighter and so I cycled and walked into the bothy late one afternoon reaching it just after dark. To my luck it was empty so I settled down to while away 4 or 5 hours before bedtime. Once I had made my dinner and drank 3 or 4 cups of tea it was still only 8pm so I made it a task to light the fire, there is nothing like a challenge to make a decent fire from some old dried tea bags, heather and a few lumps of wet coal. Anyway, my attempts at basic survival skills passed a few happy hours then it was time for sleep, I dozed off to the sound of crackling embers.
I woke well before sunrise and noticed the stars still in the sky which was a good sign for what I had in mind, I made breakfast and set off to climb the 2000ft to be on the tops for around sunrise. I soon had to stop and put on crampons as the snow got very icy and to my disappointment the clouds started to roll in and obscure the view, dulling my enthusiasm for all the effort I had put in.
I carried on anyway and close to the first summit I realised that the cloud was an inversion up to about 4000ft. The whole of Scotland as far as I could see was covered in a blanket of cotton cloud with only the few areas above 4000ft visible, Ben Nevis and the few peaks in my vicinity.
I made a few shots of my intended mountains then just sat and absorbed this spectacular sight, quite a rarity and I feel privileged to have seen it.

 

Ben Macdui from Cairn Toul and cloud inversion.


 

Contemplating a fine day in the hills sat on Cairn Toul summit with the Angel's Peak beyond.

Please click on an image or visit the Cairngorm gallery for more.

I have climbed Lochnagar's summit a few times previous but had always wanted some shots of it's best feature, the coire and lochan at the foot of it's impressive crags.
I wanted to be at the lochan early as the winter sun would soon move around behind the crags so it was a start in the dark to get in location around sunrise. The walk was pretty easy but I had to negotiate a horrendous boulder field some of which were as big as cars and huge deep crevasses between that were hidden by unstable snow - a fraught half an hour to cross.
Once in location it was a pretty straightforward job to make a few images, I was glad of the ice over the lochan to add a bit of interest to counter the crags.

  The crags of Lochnagar from the lochan.

Please click on the image or visit the Lochnagar gallery for more.

I have been planning a particular shot of the impressive Coire
Ardair crags of Creag Meagaidh for a long time now and had the chance to
attempt it recently.

I was sat in my car an hour before sunrise looking out into
the gloom and pouring rain deciding whether I should set off for my intended
location which was an hour or so walk away. It didn't look enticing as the dark
clouds skidded overhead and the rain lashed the windscreen but the forecast
promised that it would clear up and develop into a fine day; the trouble was
though that I wasn't confident this would happen at dawn or midday.

I turned the car radio down low, rested my head back and
drifted off into slumber, when I woke it was dawn and other walkers and
climbers were preparing to set off. The rain had stopped and the clouds had
improved, oh well, might as well give it a go.

I set off with anticipation that things would get better and
my distant location looked great with speckled light across the crags but then the
clouds descended and it started to snow obliterating the view.

I stopped dead in my tracks with head down and sunken
shoulders, "Idiot, idiot, I've set off too late and missed the best light" I
muttered to myself. I had hesitated from my plan and now I was late.

I had two choices, turn around and go home, I had spent the
previous day climbing two big mountains and was feeling tired. It would be so
easy to find a café, hot coffee and cooked breakfast then drive home to a hot
bath and put my feet up by the fire with a pint of ale.

But I think my inner optimism kicked in, "Well, I'm here so
I may as well walk the 45 minutes or so to my location, the weather may break
yet" I cajoled myself. Buoyed with new enthusiasm I set off again but now my
legs and joints hurt much more, my rucksack seemed to weigh twice as much and I
felt sick in my stomach thinking of last night's curry. The alter ego has a
devious way of punishing the decisions you make!

Eventually I made it to my intended vantage point, scouted
around for a few minutes and set up my gear just in time to be greeted with the
lifting cloud and dappled light right where I wanted it.

Suddenly I had a spring in my step and a smile on my face; I
was a happy photographer again.

I had hesitated and had my doubts but with a bit of optimism
and a slice of luck I have managed to get the images that I have envisaged for
a long time.

 

Allt Coire Ardair flows away from the coire crags.



Lochan a' Coire lies nestled under the imposing crags of Coire Ardair.

Please click on an image or visit the Creag Meagaidh galllery.

The Scottish mountains and indeed most of the UK so far this winter have had an unusual amount of snow for so early through the season. Now, normally I am not one to complain when it snows on the mountains as walking and photographing in the hills is usually a pleasant and interesting experience and so it is but it can test one's patience sometimes.

There was more snow forecast this last weekend so I planned to re-visit the Assynt and Inverpolly area north of Ullapool to capture a couple of images that I have had in mind for a while. On one particular morning I set off well before dawn to be in place for a sunrise shot, I got there in an hour or so without too much difficulty wading through shin-deep snow along the valley bottom. I took my intended shots then decided that I wanted a much higher perspective for my next location so I set off up a steep 500m slope to emerge at the summit after an exhausting hour only to find that the clouds had now obscured the view. Oh well, I had time to settle down for a rest and some much needed food and drink, this occupied me for 20 minutes but the views were not getting any better and I was getting far too cold to sit around on a snow swept summit so reluctantly I decided to head down and beat a retreat back to the car.

Effort-wise it is usually far more easier to descend off a mountain than it is to climb it but I had chosen to take a more direct slope off the summit than my ascent route and this proved a mistake.

I had chosen to take a heather and rock covered slope that without any snow wouldn't be too much of a problem but covered in a deceptively thick layer of snow resulted in a painful and humiliating way to descend a mountain, let me describe my ordeal.

I take a gingerly step on what I think is the top of a clump of heather, not too bad the snow is soft but my weight is caught and cushioned by the heather and my leg only penetrates to ankle depth. Carry on and make gentle progress, sometimes my legs go in a little deeper, sometimes up to my knee and higher but I compensate and correct my balance, cool I'll be down in no time. Until that is when I loose one of my legs completely in a deep hole that usually has a freezing pool of water to greet the top of my boots and my feet. As my weight is thrown off balance there is no time to stop the inertia and I can't help but fall forward, my opposite knee goes down in the snow first, my outstretched hands follow then closely followed by my face. Cold, cold, everything is cold. My boot fills up with water unable to extract as I am in a prone and inverted position with my head lower down the mountain than my backside, my arms and hands fill up with snow as outstretching creates a gap, my face takes on the appearance of a yeti but all this is nothing to the split second what happens after my face first landing. No sooner when my face has taken a soft albeit cold landing in the snow then the pain arrives, in the form of a Manfrotto pan and tilt tripod head attached to my tripod. This 3kg metal projectile is strategically attached to my rucsac to inflict maximum damage to my head as the force of my fall thrusts it on a one way trajectory. Actually the handles of the pan & tilt head aren't too bad as they are rubber and just a dull thud, its the mounting plate corners you have to fear!!

After I have come to my senses then I force an extraction from my predicament usually at the expense of pulling a thigh, hamstring or groin muscle. Upright again and brushed down of snow and underfoot detrius I am ready to move off again, only this time much more cautious as I have no wish to repeat the experience and all goes well for about 5 steps then the ordeal repeats itself again and again and ...again.

I suffer this pain and indignity for about an hour until I have finally reached the valley floor and relative safety of my earlier tracks, I sit on a rock, nurse my wounds and feelings and look back up the slope and wonder "What am I doing, there must be easier ways to take a photograph?"

To add to my misery, the clouds had parted and developed into a beautiful snowclad winters day in the highlands.........

I did make a few images though to offset my frustrations in the snow.

  Cul Beag.

Please click on the image or visit the Assynt and Inverpolly area gallery for more.

I've been making a few visits to the Kintail and Glen Shiel area recently persuing a few shots that I have had in mind for a while. On previous visits some of the conditions that I was seeking materialised but I was hampered by strong winds and sprindrift which made photography almost impossible. I knew there was a heavy covering of fresh snow though and a chance of a favourable morning for some summit sunrise shots so I headed off with anticipation.

I stayed overnight in Shiel Bridge and woke early to make a start up the hill, stars sparkled in the night sky which was a good sign as I was hoping for a fairly cloudless morning as too much cloud can be disappointing if the Sun doesn't show and I've committed myself to make the climb.

My intended vantage point to photograph the Five Sisters mountain range was from Saileag which means a very steep climb from the road upto the Bealach an Lapain. Anyone who has climbed this slope to the ridge will know how relentlessly steep it is, it wasn't helped as it was covered in knee deep snow in places and I was glad I made it to the ridge still with time left before sunrise.

  Glen Shiel and the Five Sisters from the Bealach an Lapain.

I took a few pre-dawn shots from the bealach, mainly because I was exhausted from the deep snow and needed a rest then waited for the first touches of light to illuminate the peaks. Now rested but starting to freeze I decided that I should make my intended objective, views from Saileag summit.

What should have been a gentle stroll in normal conditions became a protracted and tiring slog in very deep snow to the summit. Once I got there I forced myself to take the camera out despite the freezing conditions, I wasn't going to waste all the effort getting to the top without taking a shot or two.

  The ridges and peaks of Glen Shiel viewed from Saileag.

Once I'd got a few shots and had a bite to eat I headed down. The steep descent back into the glen proved even harder than climbing and I lost my feet and legs under the snow on a few occaisions with some ungainly headfirst tumbles.

Please click on an image for large and visit the Kintail & Glen Shiel area gallery for more.

The first real cold spell and significant snow fell on the Scottish mountains recently and I was able to coincide this with a weekend of walking and photography in the Glen Coe area.

I decided to stay away from the usual tried and tested photographic locations and concentrate on the more ambitious images that I have had in mind for a while now.

Two mornings of setting off in the dark to reach summits for sunrise and the constant freezing wind chill conditions wore my patience a bit thin at times but I think I have some decent images to show for my efforts.

  Buachaille Etive Beag and a view to the Bidean nam Bian massif.

The first early start was a walk up onto the summit ridge of Buachaille Etive Beag from where I knew there would be good views across to the Bidean nam Bian range of hills at sunrise. I was lucky with a very fine start to the day and well worth the 1 1/2 hours walk to get to my vantage point.

  Bheinn a' Bheithir from Aonach Dubh.

The next morning I took another moonlit walk up Coire nan Lochan to place myself on one of the Three Sisters so I could get a sunrise vantage point of the Aonach Eagach ridge however, I stood on Aonach Dubh for an hour and a half in bitterly cold conditions only to get one or two shots but I did manage an unexpected long shot of Bheinn a' Bheithir which made up for it.

Please click an image to enlarge or visit the Glen Coe gallery for more images.

Kintail is an area I have been meaning to pay attention to for quite sometime now. It has a wealth of interesting photographic subjects from secluded coastal inlets, picturesque lochs and impressive glens and mountains. I had intended to spend a few days concentrating on photographing a few certain iconic mountain features in the area, notably the Forcan ridge on the Saddle but the lack of snow and calm weather conditions didn't produce the conditions I was after so I settled for some more scenic images instead.

The road that accesses and divides Kintail sweeps down through Glen Shiel before heading towards Skye, this glen is home to some magnificent mountains but aren't easily recognisable when travelling by car. The best views of these mountains are when you are actually in and climbing them, a few return journeys will be required to do them all justice but in the meantime a few tasters.

  The Saddle and the Forcan ridge viewed from Faogach.

Below is the classic view of the Five Sisters over Loch Duich from Ratagan but I'm really after a definitive shot of them from along the ridge in Winter conditions, I have previously walked this ridge in superb snow conditions but wasn't taking photos at the time. I hope this Winter will provide the opportunity.

  The Five Sisters of Kintail from Ratagan on the shores of Loch Duich.

Kintail isn't all about the mountains though, there are some fine secluded coastal locations and picturesque Highland scenes.

Loch Hourn from Corran.

  Shiel Bridge at the head of Loch Duich.

As I hope you can see, Kintail has a wide range of diverse photographic opportunities and a place I will try and concentrate on in the future.

Please click an image to enlarge or visit the Glen Shiel & Kintail gallery for more.

Buachaille Etive Mor is probably the most iconic and photographed mountain in Scotland and for good reason. It stands guard to the entrance of two of Scotland's most picturesque glens, Glen Coe and Glen Etive. It is easily accessible as well, the main A82 road from central Scotland to Fort William passes over Rannoch Moor then sweeps right past the base of the mountain. It has a distinct pyramid shape from certain angles with a selection of river, rock and pool features to be utilised as foreground interest against it's impressive backdrop.

I have photographed it from almost all angles and even from it's summit so I thought I would pay a little homage and celebrate it's unique photogenic qualities.


      
The views from the slopes of Creag Dhubh. This view is looking from East
to West and so makes for a fine morning location when the Sun rises and
arcs around behind you.

        
These are views from a small pool on the highest part of the moor
overlooking the Glen Etive road. It is slightly further eastward than
the Creag Dhubh views but produce excellent early morning light on the
crags of Stob Dearg. This small pool is usually frozen in Winter and is only a 10 minute walk from the main road.

 
The classic view of the Stob Dearg crags and it's distinctive pyramid
shape from the river Coupall. I think the mountain has lost some of it's
perspective here from this location but it is extremely popular as it is
easily accessible and the river provides a pleasing foreground to the
backdrop.

 
A little further around and a higher perspective from the slopes of Stob Beinn a' Chrulaiste. This view is looking South West over Buachaille Etive Mor, Buachaille Etive Beag and the Glen Coe Three Sisters.

 
This view is further around again and 180 degrees to the first two views from Creag Dhubh, it is taken from just below the main road that you can see in the preceeding image.

        
And finally two views of the northern aspect of Stob Dearg from the small parking area and bench next to the main road. The fairly easy route up to the top of Stob Dearg starts from here, passes the cottage and climbs the gulley to the col then a gentle walk to the summit overlooking Rannoch Moor on the left. Be aware though that it can be a dangerous route in ice and snow conditions as the risk of avalanche is high within the gulley and on the crags.

I hope that you can see that this magnificent mountain has a few different aspects and it is easy to see why it has become the iconic mountain representing the Highlands of Scotland.

Please click on an image for the larger version or view the Rannoch Moor gallery for more.

I don't always set out to achieve specific photographic aims, sometimes I'm just happy to be out walking in the hills and taking in the views. I do ususally take the camera with me though just for the chance of any opportunities that may arise.

I recently had a great weekend walking in the Crianlarich and Ballachulish area and climbed some fine Munros.

  Wild intensity of light over the Crianlarich hills.

There are some fine hills that start from Crianlarich and can seem quite remote in certain conditions even though they are only a few hours walk from the village.

  Ben More and Stob Binnein from Cruach Ardrain.

These shots were not planned and I had no real expectation of what to expect when I set out on this walk but there were some impressive scenery especially as it had just snowed briefly overnight.

Please click on an image or visit the Crianlarich area gallery.

Another walk that I had been meaning to do was the traverse of Beinn a' Bheithir from Ballachulish. Beinn a' Bheithir translates into Hill of the Thunderbolt in gaelic but I walked it in fairly benign conditions although some pleasant views were still had.

  Sgorr nam Fiannaidh and the Aonach Eagach from Beinn a' Bheithir.

  North Ballachulish from the summit of Sgorr Dhonuill.

This was another occasion where the walk was more important and the main reason to be out and about in the hills, I still couldn't resist a few quick images of the day though.

Please click on an image or visit the Ballachulish area gallery.

Its mid October and Autumn has finally arrived in the Lake District, the colours are fully turned and leaves are starting to fall. I had a chance to visit a favourite small tarn recently and was pleasantly surprised when the Sun decided to poke it's head through the clouds for a brief 5 minutes.

Kelly Hall Tarn near Torver in the south west Lake District.



Click on the image for larger or please visit the Lakes, Tarns and Waters gallery for more.

I've been planning to photograph Ben Nevis for a while now, it is Britain's highest mountain and has an alluring presence from almost anywhere up in the hills on a clear day. The trouble is though that it's most interesting feature is the north facing crags and cliffs that fall into Coire Leis. The best chance to get good light on them is in Summer when the Sun is able to illuminate them for a considerable time but they look most dramatic covered in snow and ice in Winter but then have little light on them. I decided a mid October trip may be the best compromise so I planned for a weekend when there was settled high pressure with a good chance of clear skies, the other difficulty with Ben Nevis is that it is covered in cloud for most of the year.

I studied the map for a long time and calculated that a shot in mid October from Carn Mor Dearg (CMD) would give me the best chance of glancing light across the north face but I would have to be on CMD at sunrise, this meant a 5am start and a two and half hour walk to get in position. I stayed over night in the Glen Nevis youth hostel, always a guaranteed way of not getting any sleep so getting up at 4am was a distinct pleasure..! It was pitch black but I could see stars so decided to go for it, it is always a huge gamble and commitment to photograph mountains at sunrise, many things can conspire against you but if the odds are with you then it is always worth the chance, if you don't go then your chances are zero.

I set off from the Torlundy carpark just after 5am and headed up through the dark forest but on a great path, after 20 minutes I was out onto the open moor, I wanted to find the small path that gradually reaches the CMD summit but I couldn't find it with only my headtorch for light so I carried on the Coire Leis path all the way to the CIC climbing hut under the north face. I made the hut with an hour to spare but still had to climb nearly 2000ft to get to the CMD ridge, it was just about getting light now so off came the headtorch on came the Ipod and I slogged up the steep slopes to some serious rock music, which didn't take any of the pain away....

I reached the CMD summit with 5 minutes to spare and quickly set up the camera, the ridge was covered in swirling mist but the Sun was trying to break through and I knew that it would burn off after a while.

  Sunrise on the CMD summit.

I took a couple of images from the summit and as the mist cleared I got a wonderful panorama of Ben Nevis' north face, the Sun broke through and the morning turned out to be glorious with just enough light to highlight a few of the buttresses and ridges. My planning and gamble had paid off and I packed away the camera very satisfied with my mornings efforts.

  Clearing mist just after sunrise.

It was still only 8:30am once I had finished photographing so I decided to carry on along the arete that connects CMD with Ben Nevis. This is an exposed ridge walk but not too difficult and can be avoided by a lower path if need be.

  Ben Nevis and the north face from Carn Mor Dearg.

The CMD arete can be seen connecting Ben Nevis' North East Buttress. I stopped once I got off the arete and took in the magnificent view of the Mamore hills looking south and west, these I hope will be the next subject of my photographic ventures.

  Stob Ban, Mullach nan Coirean and the distant Beinn a' Bheithir.

Soon I was on the summit of Ben Nevis and almost had it to myself but I could see the endless traffic of walkers coming up from Fort William so I headed down the main path then cut across at the Red Burn to return to the Torlundy carpark. All in all a fabulous day to be out in the hills and I feel very lucky to have been blessed with exceptional conditions on this difficult of mountains to photograph.

Please click on an image to enlarge or go to the Ben Nevis area gallery to see more.

My favourite time of the year is here, the change from Summer to Autumn and Winter. The days are getting shorter and colder, a few frosts and 0 degree C temperature on the early starts with a change in the colours as well all add up to an invigorating time. I'm not very active photographically in the Summer as the harsh light and predominent greens aren't very favourable for me but now the trees are turning red and yellow I become far more enthusiastic.
The last weekend in September was calm and a high pressure sat over the Lake District, usually a good sign for clear skies and calm water so I decided to try a handy location at sunrise to see if the Autumn colours are really showing yet. I took a drive to Tarn Hows, a popular walking place that sits at quite a high elevation allowing a scenic view over South Lakeland. The colours aren't fully turned yet but I was greeted with flat calm water and an interesting cloudy sunrise.

  A lofty view over Tarn Hows towards the central Lakes.

  Calm reflections on Tarn Hows.

A few more weeks and the colours will be in full swing, add a dusting of snow and we should be set for some interesting images.

Please click on an image or click on the Lakes, Tarns and Waters gallery.

I was also able to get a few shots of a few Lakeland mountains as well.

  Bowfell, one of Lakeland's finest.

Please have a look in the Mountains and Fells gallery or Rivers and Valleys for some more.

Summer is not normally a time when I have much enthusiasm to photograph the countryside or mountains. Here in the UK most of the fields, fellsides and mountains are covered in the verdant green of grasses and brackens, a colour which I don't find very appealing. I much prefer the Autumn and Winter colours of reds, yellows and browns but not all locations lend themselves to be exclusively photographed in the colder months.
Mountains tend to look more dramatic, menacing and generally more appealing during the colder months when draped in Autumnal colours or clad with ice and snow but often a Winter scene cannot be photographed with the most complimentary light due to the wide shifts in the Sun's azimuth. Many of the interesting features or dramatic aspects of mountains, annoyingly, happen to be North facing, this has the problem that the Sun doesn't always highlight these features from a frontal or side on angle and have to be photographed with the Sun directly in front of you resulting in difficult contrast problems.
The options are to persevere with the awkward contrast situations or photograph the scene in the Summer months when the Sun is at compatible angles, but here lies the dilemma, the scenes often don't look as dramatic and are usually covered in unappealing green.
I recently travelled to Torridon to try and photograph a particularly spectacular North facing crag with the intention that the Summer sunrise would light it well but soon realised that it in fact doesn't look very spectacular unless it has a covering of ice and snow and the lochan needs to be frozen for maximum effect, I'll have to go back in the Winter and just hope I can cope with the difficult lighting then.
Meanwhile, I had the opportunity to photograph a remote Lakeland valley, again the light would only be right in May or August, definately green foliage season but I gave it a go and I think I've got a reasonable result.
Ennerdale, a Summer evening up one of the more remote valleys.

Another valley that is awkward to photograph other than in the Summer months is Buttermere and Fleetwith Pike. There is still predominently green foliage around but I used the browns of the lake bed to offset them, hope I got away with it!

Buttermere and Fleetwith Pike, mid August evening.

Please click on an image or visit the Lakes, Tarns and Waters gallery for more.

What is regarded as a long exposure? well it can depend on a photographer's perspective. A night scene photographer may think 5 minutes quite normal or an astronomer a few hours.
For my landscapes anywhere between 1/4 to 1/30th of a second is a frequent range of shutter speeds without using any external filters to lengthen the time, this is usually a function of small aperture for large Depth of Field and the low ambient light I prefer to shoot in.
Recently though I have been extending my exposure times into the minutes rather than fractions of seconds, for this I have to place a light inhibiting filter in front of my lens to extend the shutter times. There are many manufacturers of such filters and vary in range of light reduction from 1 stop of light all the way to 10 stops. I've been having some fun using the 10 stop filter and made some reasonable images but, is it just a fad I'm going through or is the long exposure here to stay?

This is a normal shot for me, a 1/8th of a second exposure time produced a relatively sharp and motion free image, much as you could imagine seeing with your own eyes perhaps.




This is the same scene with similar light but a 2 minutes and 15 second exposure.



You can see that the ripples in the water have completely been smoothed out as if there wasn't a breath of wind but the sky looks as though the clouds are being blown perhaps.

I like both versions for different reasons and can't really say if I prefer one over the other, for me the 10 stop filter has a place in my bag as a useful tool to experiment with and hopefully occasionally to capture something memorable.

Please click on an image or visit the Lakes, Tarns and Waters gallery for more.

For a tutorial on the selection and use of a 10 stop filter please click here.

I've been meaning to climb and photograph An Teallach in the North West Highlands for quite a while now. I've been impressed by many fine Winter images of it's crags, coires and buttresses but an opportunity of a Summer weekend arose to climb it so I took the chance. The weather forecast gave a few days of settled warm weather so to take full advantage of the trip I decided I would try for both sunset and sunrise shots of it. The logistics and time involved to walk in each day though was too much and the only real option was to camp closer to the summits.
I set off from the Corrie Hallie car park and made steady progress to Loch Toll an Lochain where I pitched my tent, a quick feed then it was time to get up on the ridge, a steep hour of climbing later and I was on the summit of Bidean a Ghlas Thuill, the highest of the peaks.


Sgurr Fiona and the ridge towards Sail Liath, Loch Toll an Lochain in shade.

I took a few shots from here but knew that the light would be better from Sgurr Fiona with the western ridge being illuminated so I headed for the second summit.
Once on top of Sgurr Fiona breathtaking views of the ridge and the wilderness of the Fisherfield Forest opened up, mind, the midges still helped themselves to an evening supper from me!


The ridge from Sgurr Fiona towards Sail Liath, the Fannich hills can be seen in the distance. My camp site was at the corner of the loch, a fabulous amplitheatre of rock and water.


The expansive view into the Fisherfield Forest and Bheinn Dearg Mor from Sgurr Fiona.


A look back to Bidean a' Ghlas Thuill, An Teallach's highest peak. It was a steep walk down the grass slope on the right to my camp.

After getting the shots the light was fading and I had over an hour to get back to my camp so I made the return trip down a very steep grass slope and was mighty thankful for a lie down once back in my tent.
The alarm was set for 4am but a kindly Stag close by kept barking every half an hour just to ensure I didn't sleep in! I woke to an eerie silence (apart from the stag who eyed me from a crag) and the promise of a good sunrise. Bleery eyed I made the repeat trip back up to the ridge and made Bidean a Ghlas Thuill just in time for the first rays of light. I waited half an hour or so and made some pictures of the light dancing across the opposing peaks of Sail Liath, Cadha Ghoblach, Corrag Bhuidhe, Lord Berkeley's Seat and Sgurr Fiona, these would be the ridge peaks I'd be walking along.


Sunrise over the An Teallach ridge, one of Scotland's finest walks.

A quick nip up to Sgurr Fiona again and some more pictures of the light illuminating Bheinn Dearg Mor then it was off along the ridge. I had intentions to climb over the Pinnacles of Corrag Bhuidhe but one foot on the ridge before Lord Berkeley's Seat made me opt for the tourist route around the western traverses, discretion being the better part of valour and all that! Live to tell your grandchildren, I say!
The ridge can easily be traversed if opting for the horizontal paths that skirt all difficulties but could be a different proposition in Winter, I finally made it to Sail Liath and the descent back to my tent but made a few more shots of the Fisherfield wilderness en route and a few encounters with the ferral goats.
Once back to the tent, it was packed away and an hour or so walk back out to the car and some much needed sleep.

I'd recommend An Teallach as a walk of the highest order, it looks spectacular and offers tremendous views to the Bheinn Dearg and Fannich group of hills but especially towards the Fisherfield and Letterewe wildernesses.

One of Scotland's finest.

Please click on a photo or visit the An Teallach and Fisherfield area gallery for more images.

I've spent the last 4 or 5 weeks, mainly in vain, chasing that elusive light that is often so desirable in a landscape image. I've spent 3 weekends in a row trying to get a particular shot of sunrise over the Three Sisters in Glen Coe, Scotland. On each trip I have travelled long, slept little and not got the shots I'm after, I've admitted defeat on this particular shot for the time being and will wait until Autumn when I don't have to get up at 03:30 am!

I have been persisting though even when the cloud formations and light haven't been as expected or wanted. I took a quick look at an old favourite secluded tarn recently in the Borrowdale valley and managed to get a reasonable shot of the tarn's character even though the light didn't turn out as wished for.



I quite like the understated atmosphere and sense of calm in this and the lack of direct lighting has made a mellower feel perhaps. I must remember not to be too picky about the lighting conditions and attempt images in all conditions!

Please click on the image or the Lakes, Tarns & Waters gallery for more.

I thought my Skye gallery needed a few updates and I usually try to visit Skye in May before the dreaded midges make life a torment, so I planned a wee trip. I didn't want to revisit too many of the regular photogenic and easily accessible locations so I decided that I would base my visit around an overnight camp at Loch Coruisk.
Loch Coruisk lies in a remote location and is hidden from view by the Cuillin hills, to reach there it is either a long walk or a boat trip from Elgol. Once I had shouldered my packed rucsac I quickly decided that the boat was going to be the least painful and quickest mode of transport (this photography business makes one quite lazy!!).
Loch Coruisk makes a pleasant day trip from Elgol and attracts many visitors but I wasn't returning until I had a few photos in the camera. I found a quiet corner beside Coruisk shore and set up camp, did a bit of scouting around for photo opportunites and climbed Sgurr na Stri for a few sunset photos.
My real intention was to capture the sunrise over the Cuillin so I got as comfortable as I could in the tent and set my alarm for 04:30. As usually my sunrise plans are thwarted again by light rain and low cloud, after a lie in and lazy breakfast of the regulation bacon and mugs of tea it was time to see if there were any photos to be taken. The clouds did rise and actually turned into a pleasant day but the best time for photos probably alluded me this trip.

  Sunrise over Blaven on my way to catch the boat from Elgol.

  The back of Blaven and Marsco from Sgurr na Stri.

  The Scavaig river and Loch Coruisk, the Cuillin ridge beyond.

Please click on an image to enlarge or visit the Isle of Skye Gallery for more images.

I think I prefer photography towards the end of the day rather than the start if only for the better predictability of what may happen.
I do still though drag myself out of bed at unearthly hours in an attempt to capture scenes that many folk never have the chance of seeing. There is always a dilemma and gamble though if the weather conditions are actually going to turn out as you might hope.
I recently had a plan to photograph Windermere in the English Lake District at sunrise, I knew the location I wanted to be, where the Sun would rise and all I hoped for was a nice layer or two of high level cloud to turn red and provide aerial interest.
I woke a little too late, looked out of the window and saw clear skies and twinkling stars, this normally sends me straight back to bed as it heralds a plain and fairly uninteresting sky but I persevered anyway.
A mad dash in the car for 30 minutes enabled me to be at the foot of a hill which was my vantage point, another 15 minutes of hard labour up the hill and I just made it with minutes to spare before the Sun rose above the neighbouring hills to illuminate the scene.
There wasn't a cloud in the sky but a gentle hue from yellow to blue across the horizon. I was a little disappointed that I had made so much effort only to be rewarded with a clear sky but made the most of the opportunity anyway.
Reflecting on the images I made now, I am quite satisfied that the sky wasn't dramatic as I had hoped, I think it has reinforced the calm and tranquil qualities of the image and I'm more than pleased with the results.

  Windermere at dawn from the hill overlooking Clappersgate.

Please click on the image to take you to the large version or the Lakes, Tarns and Waters Gallery for other scenes.

I had a chance to spend a night in Glen Coe and decided to use the opportunity to try and take some pictures of the glen but specifically the range of mountains that make up The Three Sisters. The south western side of the glen has some superb mountains for walking or climbing, Stob Coire Sgreamach and Bidean nam Bian, however, they are difficult to see from the road but the buttresses that spur off these two mountains are very prominent.
The usual view of The Three Sisters are from just above the road from a vantage point called the Study but I've always wanted to view them from a high position.

  The Three Sisters from The Study, taken a year or so ago.

My intention was to climb Am Bodach before sunrise and be in a high vantage point for dawn and the early light that would hopefully stream down the glen to illuminate the ridges in relief. On waking, the weather was poor with low lying mist so a relaxed breakfast and a potter about was in order. After a bit of debating I decided to go for a walk up onto the ridge anyway as the exercise would be welcome. Once onto the opposite ridge the clouds broke and lifted to reveal a fine spring day in the Highlands, I'd missed dawn light but made the best of the changeable midday conditions anyway.

  Beinn Fhada, one of the Sisters and Buachaille Etive Beag.

I don't usually shoot straight into the Sun or when the Sun is so high directly overhead as contrasts can be very difficult to deal with but on days when there is a lot of broken cloud then some interesting atmospheric images can be made.
Once I'd reached the summit of Am Bodach it was time for a bit of lunch and a spell of just sitting and taking in the view. After a while I headed down but chose a different route as I wanted to recce a vantage point for a future image of the Sisters, I headed over to A Chailleach and found a decent location. I took a few from here but the Sun was directly infront and overhead so it will definately be worth going back when the light is more favourable.

  The Three Sisters from A Chailleach.

Please click on an image to see larger or visit the Glen Coe gallery for further images.

Liathach, the Grey One has been on my agenda to climb for a while now but I have been waiting for a day of good weather for the views and favourable photography. My friend and I had planned Easter weekend to stay in Torridon with the plan to climb Liathach if the weather was good. During the night it had rained constantly and I had little hope of there being clear skies in the morning however, the forecast was for the clouds to lift.
After a lazy breakfast we set off up the southern flanks to reach the ridge close to the eastern peak of Stuc a Choire Dhuibh Bhig, it soon became apparent that the rain had fallen as snow on the upper slopes and progress became tiring in knee high snow in the gullies.
Once the ridge was reached we made the short walk to Stuc a Choire Dhuibh Bhig, our climb had been timed to perfection as the clouds started to lift from the summits. Great views south and east are available from here especially the huge bulk of Liathach's neighbour Beinn Eighe.

  Stuc a Choire Dhuibh Bhig

After a short rest and a few photos it was time to continue the ridge westwards towards the main summit, along the way ever changing views of the northern expanse opened. The hills of Wester Ross rarely seen by many folk dominate this great expanse of wilderness.

  The views north towards the Wester Ross hills

After a few ups and downs and some tricky narrow ledges along the ridge we arrived at Spidean a Choire Leith, from the main summit it became apparent that we had chosen an amazing Winter's day to climb one of Scotland's iconic ridge mountains.
The views in all directions were spectacular but especially to the north where the great corries stretched out in a blanket of white. The northen slopes of Liathach are rarely seen by the visitor to Torridon, the southern slopes barring the way except for enthusiastic walkers.

  Coire na Caime and Mullach an Rathain, Beinn Alligin in the distance

The ridge continues to the western peak of Mullach an Rathain via a section that is the trickiest and most exposed. The Pinnacles and the small peak of Am Fasarinen offer superb scrambling over a very exposed knife edge ridge and are the main highlight to many who traverse this ridge, a good head for heights is required and a serious undertaking in Winter conditions.

  The Pinnacles and Am Fasarinen.

All in all one of the best days I've had walking in the hills. Please click on an image or check out the Torridon Area gallery for more photos.

I've admired Glen Torridon for a while now for it's fabulous remote feeling and spectacular mountains. It is home to some of Scotland's most iconic mountains and the Torridonian sandstone that is the building block for these mountains enables them to show a unique ruggedness.

I managed to spend a brief day in the glen recently and attempted to capture the mountains in the late evening light that highlights them so well.



Liathach over Loch Bharranch.



The appearance of remoteness and ruggedness down the glen. Please check out the Torridon gallery.

I've had in mind to photograph the Scafell range of hills from a high vantage point in Wasdale for quite a while now. The Scafells are quite a tricky group of hills to photograph from the Wasdale side as they are tucked away in a corner and obscured by the Screes from most views from Wastwater. I have visited the summit of Middle Fell on numerous occasions usually in running shorts as part of a fell race or training runs and had always admired the view across to the highest land in England.
On this particular day I was traveling home from work on the train and noticed that there was a good covering of snow and the clouds looked promising for a good sunset shot, once home I decided that I'd give the lofty heights of Middle Fell a try, you can see my attempts in the Mountains and Fells gallery or click on the image.

I recently spent a great weekend walking, climbing and photographing the Ben Cruachan ridge near Loch Awe in the Scottish West Highlands. The nine mile ridge starts at Dalmally on the shores of Loch Awe and traverse westward over the peaks of Stob Diamh and Drochaid Glhais before finishing on Ben Cruachan itself. Conditions were perfect for winter walking and the use of crampons and ice axe were essential for efficiency and safety. The weather was mostly in our favour with a slight breeze but with temperatures down to a minus 20 degrees windchill it was bracing to say the least.



Stob Diamh from Drochaid Glhais.

Check out the Ben Cruachan gallery for more images.

I've decided to revamp and update my website which will mean larger images, a slideshow feature and easier ability to regularly add new images. Have a look around and I hope you enjoy the scenery.