Isle of Skye Trip - advice please!

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fridge

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fred
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Hi everyone

After looking at some of the stunning pictures from this part of the world I am finally getting to go there early February. Could anyone advise as to what to expect from the weather please? I'm driving so assume I'll be able to get to places! Also is anywhere going to be inaccessible in Winter?

Also this is my plan, anything I've missed that I really shouldn't?

Day 1 - Glencoe
Day 2 - Trotternish Peninsula
Day 3 - Quiraing
Day 4 - Talisker Bay + Cuillin
Day 5 - Glenbrittle + Elgol + Sligachan
Day 6 - Eilean Donan + Buachille Etive Mor

Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Fred
 
It is posible, that all six of your destinations will be unaccesable due to snow, but they are used to that and usually clear it reasonably quickly. I was stuck in transport digs for 3 days, but that is rare now!
On a good note, the midges won't be around. Enjoy it, the sceenery is fantastic as is the wildlife. Glencoe really got to me, the sense of history was overwhelming.
 
Expect snow, rain, sun, blizzards, overcast, windy, hale storms all cycling every 20 mins or so for your entire stay there ;)

I've only been once so have limited knoweledge but my advise would be to concentrate on one area of the island at a time. It's much bigger than you might think and there is so much to photograph! I'm jelous!
 
These places you have listed should be accessible but it can depend on vehicle used. I have been to those places that you have listed in bad winter conditions and struggled traveling from Glencoe to Isle of Skye when there was a large amount of snowfall the night before, think this was early march iirc. Don't let this put you off as winter can be a fabulous time to visit Scotland, it really is magic. Temperatures can dip to anything as low as -12 I have seen, but it is fine if appropriate clothing is worn. There is little daylight (7ish hours) so take something to keep you entertained for when dark strikes at 4.30pm, we got so bored last time as had nothing but essentials when we camped.

Will probably be heading up in feb as found out have one more week off work to fit in by march.

Have a cracking time(y)
 
There's a saying about Skye...If you can see the Cuillins it's going to rain. If you CAN'T see them...it IS raining! Not so much snow the past few years but it gets really wet and the wind chill off the sea makes it bitterly cold so take some good foul weather gear and plenty of layers. Have a good one!
 
I got to all those places in a 21ft long, 8ft wide motorhome. All of it is a doddle, the single track roads are very well organised with plenty of passing places.

Absolutely EPIC place.

Gary.
 
Pork said:
I really fancy a trip to Skye too. What time of month did you go Gary?
Click to expand...

Been five times, but the two mega trips were deliberately at opposing ends of the weather system.

Trip 01: Deepest darkest winter, January.
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=109588
(no pics sorry, I can reupload at some point?)

Trip 02: Summer Solstice
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=145007
&
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=145315

Lots of us from the forum went, both trips were epic for different reasons, and the place was like a different planet in the summer solstice.

Gary.
 
We went in Jan :) Gary had his gin palace and I have a Renault Van based motorhome. I've done round trips of the area twice now in Jan and the only problem I've had was getting over to Applecross one year when the road was shut. Also had fun getting off a pitch in Aviemore one year. Rocked the van a couple of times and out it popped :)

The evenings are a bit long at that time of year and yes it can get a tad chilly out. I've been out in minus 17 deg before now. Glencoe is stunning, really good campsite right on the shores of Loch leven, now THAT'S a view to wake up to :)

I sometimes come back down through Aviemore and in good visability the funicular railway can be a nice diversion.
 
Hey, thanks very much for all the advice. More excited than ever! I'll be in a Ford Focus so sounds like it should be ok, bad weather could make for some geat photos! Didn't realise quite how cold it can get, I'll be sure to take appropriate clothing! If I'm going to be shooting in the rain, bad weather should I take some kind of protection for the camera (a 5D) as I do plan to be out in pretty much all conditions?

Edinburgh Gary - I would love to see some of the photos from your Jan trip (the ones from summer are outstanding!) Are they hosted anywhere else?

Thanks again
Fred
 
fridge said:
Hey, thanks very much for all the advice. More excited than ever! I'll be in a Ford Focus so sounds like it should be ok, bad weather could make for some geat photos! Didn't realise quite how cold it can get, I'll be sure to take appropriate clothing! If I'm going to be shooting in the rain, bad weather should I take some kind of protection for the camera (a 5D) as I do plan to be out in pretty much all conditions?

Edinburgh Gary - I would love to see some of the photos from your Jan trip (the ones from summer are outstanding!) Are they hosted anywhere else?

Thanks again
Fred
Click to expand...

Cheers :D

1
http://www.egopimp.com/OnBlack.asp?ImageURL=http://www.egopimp.com/images/20081227215442_horny.jpg

2
http://www.egopimp.com/OnBlack.asp?...pimp.com/images/20090131233840_cooked sky.jpg

3
http://www.egopimp.com/OnBlack.asp?...images/20090202210908_the road....to hell.jpg

4
http://www.egopimp.com/OnBlack.asp?...20090204224910_the quiraing, isle of skye.jpg

5
http://www.egopimp.com/OnBlack.asp?...om/images/20090206233050_smoo cave edit 2.jpg

6
http://www.egopimp.com/OnBlack.asp?...ages/20090212224948_slioch and loch maree.jpg

I have another 14 or so from the set, but no longer online :(

Gary.
 
You'll need to be very unlucky to get bad snow on the roads in Skye.

Your risky areas are climbing up into Glencoe from the Rannoch Moor end, but that risk will lessen as you journey west through the glen down to sea level.
Heading for Eilean Donan can be bad at Cluanie (high moorland), but Eilean Donan is at sea level and milder.

Have you not made a mistake with Day 6, Fred. Buachaille Etive Mor is nowhere near Eilean Donan. It is at the west end of Glencoe so you'll pass it on day 1.
Check out the very picturesque lochans (Loch nah Achlaise etc. on each side of the road as you head up into Glencoe from Bridge of Orchy).

Gary - nice seeing your pics again - awesome.
 
Hey thanks for letting me know, I'm actually kicking myself, would be very useful to have the local knowledge of you guys! Going from 31st Jan - 5th Feb so just missing it, unfortunately I'll be back working by then...

Although I'm sure I will be wanting to go back so will be on the look out for other meets!
 
You'll absolutely love it. You might want to try planning to have two days in a couple of the places as you'll probably see a number of spots at each location and not have time or the weather to do everything you want.

Being in a Ford Focus is a good idea - you can set the tripod up in the back, put the seats down and the boot up, and stay out of the lashing wind/snow/hail/rain whilst you take your pics.

Elgol is a top spot for seascapes. You should have snow on the mountains opposite which makes things look even better. Sligachan is also fantastic, but walk upstream a way to find some even better spots - it's well worth it.

Take awesome goretex jacket and trousers, plus a warm hat & gloves. I also use those neck tube things to keep the cold air from going down my jacket collar. Also take an umbrella as you can hide under it & set up your shots as long as its not too windy. Also really good gore-text walking boots are a must.

Have fun!
 
Tobers - Thanks for the advice, like the car boot idea and will do this where possible! Also umbrella is a nice idea. Out of interest how do people deal with sea spray and rain on gear?
 
be prepared for mist and no visibilty for landscape shots :)

lovely place though, deffo going back next year
 
lol I did that at Eilean Donan! Set the tripod up in the van, opened the side door and waited till there were no passing cars to rock the van. Bingo, one night shot without so much as a drop of rain. ;)

There is only so much you can do to protect your gear. The 5D will stand a reasonable amount of abuse. I tend to just keep the camera in the bag until I actually want to take a shot and only once it's pretty much ready to shoot, pop the camera on and off I go. It's keeping any rain off the front of the lens is more of a problem and sometimes a golf umbrella is as good as you can get. You can get all sorts of daft looking rain protection but a plastic bag will do at a push. Ziplock bags are great because you can tighten them round the lens and still work the camera through the bag. :)

Another vote for good clothing, plenty of layers too. And a flask with something nice in it :)

Have a great time, insanely jealous...................Gary, can we not do another one at the end of Jan start of Feb? :)
 
try and find time to go across Applecross ...
I was in Skye earlier this year and the beaches are awesome (deserted) and the roads just reams of spindly tarmac with v little else on it.

I also climber the Old Man of Stoor and the views from the top (clear sunny day) were epic!!!
 
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