F&C Trip to Scotland - Gauging Interest & Opinions - Booked!

General area & dates of possible Scotland trip

  • Highlands

    Votes: 12 92.3%
  • Lowlands

    Votes: 4 30.8%
  • Arran or another island

    Votes: 12 92.3%
  • September 2018

    Votes: 9 69.2%
  • October 2018

    Votes: 10 76.9%
  • November 2018

    Votes: 6 46.2%

  • Total voters
    13
  • Poll closed .
what is a conventional camera? as mentioned, never heard of that. film and digital yes but conventional ??????? can you change the area to the South coast by any chance Like Bexhill on Sea. Here you can spend all day photographing sea gulls ;)
I used Ilford's Direct Positive paper as part of a review of their Titan pinhole camera, but didn't really get on with it. It can also be used for photograms, which again is an older type of technique, but that would certainly count as conventional for me.
https://www.ilfordphoto.com/harman-direct-positive-paper-sheets
 
what is a conventional camera? as mentioned, never heard of that. film and digital yes but conventional ???????

Glass plate, wet plate, alt process printing would all come under the "conventual" heading I guess, although all would now be considered unconventional. Maybe we should change the name to "talk film and unconventional", that way it more accurately describes some of the members as well :D
 
I've thought this a few times as well, Google states the definition of "conventional" is "based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed.", and nowadays digital is "what's generally done", making film cameras and alternative processes quite unconventional.

However, the Cambridge dictionary says that conventional is "traditional and ordinary", and the Collins dictionary says "A conventional method or product is one that is usually used or that has been in use for a long time.", making film cameras conventional.

So whether film is conventional now really depends on which definition you use!
 
Effin' thievin' winged bandit :mad::cautious:;)

It was quite a traumatic event, walking across the expanse of sand with a hundred sea gulls stalking us and diving at us when our backs were turned.

At least you didn't suffer any long lasting effects from the experience, I still have a scar on my ankle from the train platform incident :LOL:
 
You're not fit to be let out, you lot! :rolleyes: If you do go to Scotland I wouldn't bother visiting Loch Ness, as one of you will probably get bitten by Nessie! :D
 
Last edited:
It was quite a traumatic event, walking across the expanse of sand with a hundred sea gulls stalking us and diving at us when our backs were turned.

At least you didn't suffer any long lasting effects from the experience, I still have a scar on my ankle from the train platform incident :LOL:

:LOL:

I shouldn't laugh at other people's misfortune but it's normally me who is accident prone (Mr Snap would say clumsy!) so I love it when daft things happen to others!! :LOL:;)
 
:LOL:

I shouldn't laugh at other people's misfortune but it's normally me who is accident prone (Mr Snap would say clumsy!) so I love it when daft things happen to others!! :LOL:;)

... like getting marooned on a certain island on New Year's Day, by any chance?:D:D:D
 
You're not fit to be let out, you lot! :rolleyes: If you do go to Scotland I wouldn't bother visiting Loch Ness, as one of you will probably get bitten by Nessie! :D
Quite right, so here's the tourist view on Tuesday this week to save you wondering. (y) Oly mju11, HP5+. Rodinal semistand.

2018-02-08-0029-tp.jpg
 
Last edited:
Pretty sure I can see Nessie just behind that young lady's shoulder...
 
Are we any closer to being able to confirm numbers and dates so I can find suitable accommodation? I've got 8 people confirmed for the whole week and 2 confirmed for a couple of days:

@Mrs Snap & @Andysnap (full week, unavailable early September)
@Carl Hall & Angi (full week, unavailable 19-21 Oct)
@Woodsy & @nikki_s (full week)
@raathistle (full week)
@kendo1 (full week) & Evey (couple of days)
@steveo_mcg (couple of days)

Everyone above are free between Mon 10th Sep and Thu 18th Oct.

To the others who expressed an interest...

@RaglanSurf & Shireen
@desf
@ChrisR maybe plus 1

Are you still interested in coming and are you able to provide dates that you can/cannot make it?
 
Last edited:
Fine with me.
 
Probably only a couple of days for me if I can make it. Sorry to be so vague.

I could bring my tent though!
 
Probably only a couple of days for me if I can make it. Sorry to be so vague.

I could bring my tent though!

Thanks for updating me. I'll take you out of the equation for the moment. If we end up booking somewhere with spare capacity and you find that you are available.....:)
 
I would be definite, plus one dodgy as that's the time for her (usually late-booked) holiday in the sun with the girls. I'll ask the question when she gets back but expect to get short shrift rather than an answer!
 
Thanks for updating me. I'll take you out of the equation for the moment. If we end up booking somewhere with spare capacity and you find that you are available.....:)

Thanks. I'll keep an eye on the thread and hopefully meet up, even if it's just for a day depending on where you end up.
If it's the North Highlands, I could stay with my folks. :)
 
Thanks Chris. I'll leave Mrs Chris as a maybe and aim to save a spot for her just in case. Just wanted to confirm that there aren't any dates that you can't make.
 
If it's not too late, Sue and I are also interested in coming, depending on the date.
 
Excellent! It will be sometime between mid September and mid October. Are there any dates you cannot do?
 
Nothing immediately strikes us as ruling out any date(s) but I'll confirm that later (meaning within 24 hours).
 
Still working on dates, its a little crowded round that time of the year but nothing set in stone yet so its a bit like juggling sand.
 
I don't know whether this will help or hinder Nick!!

I've checked the availability of the suitable houses and it is reducing quite quickly. Based on potential numbers and various other factors such as dates, room configuration, location, cost etc, there are really only two suitable houses with any availability left. In no particular order:

http://www.unique-cottages.co.uk/cottages/west-coast/lochaber-ardnamurchan/cn3-cuilcheanna-house?

Sat 22- Sat 29 September available at £1395
Sat 6 - Sat 13 October available at £1695

http://www.avondruiehouse.co.uk/index.html

Sun 30 September - Sun 6 October available at £1695
Fri 5 - Fri 12 October available at £1695

As a guide, £1695 breaks down to about £150 per head for 11 people for a week and about £40 per head for the two people stopping for a couple of nights.

To give an idea of how quickly places are getting booked up, Cuilcheanna was free for the whole of Sep & Oct when I checked at the end of last week....

Any preferences, feedback etc from anyone?
 
Last edited:
They both look great I think. The house looks nice and big and in a nice area, but I'm a sucker for a nice woodland lodge. £150 each is a bargain for a weeks accommodation.

Not knowing much about either area, we're happy to go with either of those places at any of the dates you've stated.

Not much help really, am I? :p :D
 
I have been watching this thread for a long time.

I am in, but, the long(from Kent) drive is a problem for me.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Richard.
 
I have been watching this thread for a long time.

I am in, but, the long(from Kent) drive is a problem for me.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Richard.

Great, if you can get there you'll be very welcome.

I'm calling this closed now. We have potentially up to 17 people which means that only Cuilcheanna is big enough (5 double, 3 twin & 1 single).

http://www.unique-cottages.co.uk/cottages/west-coast/lochaber-ardnamurchan/cn3-cuilcheanna-house?

Sat 22- Sat 29 September available at £1395
Sat 6 - Sat 13 October available at £1695
 
I'd have said the week at £1395 with 9 bathrooms listed as the best bet anyway. It seems to be far clearer in the description about what it has. The other one doesn't list number of bathrooms obviously so that makes me automatically suspicious it won't be enough!

Don't worry you didn't miss me off an interested list @Mrs Snap
 
Last edited:
Both are areas we know - we usually go to Scotland for a couple of weeks each year, staying at Fort William and Aviemore so we're on familar ground. If we are free - still to confirm that, but with fixed dates it's easier - we'll come.
 
Onich for me. Great central area, coast, mountains, waterfalls and a pub down the road. I'm not a fan of Aviemore, concrete and Ned's, although Rothiemurchus estate is nice and the Cairngorms are close.
 
I'm easy. The area around Fort William is a lot more accessible than the Cairngorms and probably more photogenic.
 
Onich for me. Great central area, coast, mountains, waterfalls and a pub down the road. I'm not a fan of Aviemore, concrete and Ned's, although Rothiemurchus estate is nice and the Cairngorms are close.

"Aviemore is a dump" Scott Gunn, quoting a conversation from memory. What it does have is easy access to the north west of Scotland via Inverness. That said, it's easy to get to Beauly from either Aviemore or Onich :rolleyes:
 
I'm easy. The area around Fort William is a lot more accessible than the Cairngorms and probably more photogenic.

It depends what you're looking for. The characters of the two areas are very different. Pinewoods and red squirrels in the Cairngorms. more rugged mountains round Fort William. Ballachulish slate quarry is well worth a visit (depending on the weather!) for the smaller landscape.
 
I have been watching this thread for a long time.

I am in, but, the long(from Kent) drive is a problem for me.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Richard.

You could fly to Glasgow (not Prestwick). The airport is just off the M8 before you get to the Erskine Bridge which, incidentally, is one of the ways to get to the west coast of Scotland! Carl & Angi are thinking of flying and we offered to pick them up at Glasgow airport. We'd struggle to get 5 people plus all their luggage comfortably in the car but maybe someone else could pick you up? Or maybe the people flying could share the cost of a hire car?

There's also the option of flying to Edinburgh airport because people travelling up from east or south east England may be more likely to pass there than Glasgow?

You could get the train up to Fort William? On the way up on the Friday, you could even get the Caledonian Sleeper and wake up in Fort William on Saturday morning! It doesn't run on a Saturday night though so you'd have to travel through the day on the way home.

I guess you may be able to make arrangements to meet up somewhere and car share with someone travelling up from the south?
 
Last edited:
OK, we'd prefer the September slot but are happy to fit in with the majority view. And there are no known problems to coming, so you can count us in.
 
If it helps with the planning; I've cleared Saturday to Monday for both weekends with my wife, not sure If I'll have a car yet but I might be able to drive rather than rely on a lift (or a cycle) from Fort William. If I've got the car I'm happy to collect folk en route.
 
That's great Steve. If required, we can sort you out with a lift to & from Fort Bill.
 
That's great Steve. If required, we can sort you out with a lift to & from Fort Bill.

Cheers, the trains are pretty horrific from Edinburgh to the NW so I'll arrange to have a car. Its apparently a lovely train ride but at 5 hours+ I'll save it for another day!
 
Thanks for all your hard work organising @Mrs Snap my vote is for Onich too - the house looks cracking and the location’s great. Let me know if you need a hand organising anything [emoji4]
 
Back
Top