Isle Of Skye

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Old Man of Storr, climb it for sunrise, prey for light. My failed attempt

_DSC2274 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Brides viel waterfall

_DSC2332 (1) by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Old Man of Storr during the day

DSC_0061 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Elgol

_DSC0340 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Torin

DSC_0975 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Sligachan

_DSC0773 by SFTPhotography, on Flickr

Cheers Steve - plenty of ideas there - really like the Elgol shot.

I'll be praying to whoever will listen for a descent sunrise asfter a 7-8 hour journey to get there.

I'm thinking of heading up in Feb for the chance to catch some snow on the higher ground. I've heard it's best to go between Nov - March to get the most dramatic weather.
 
Loch Cill Chroisd AKA The Hairy Loch
Elgol (Cuillin Views)
Ord (Cuillin Views)
Tokavaig (Cuillin Views)
Loch Slapin nr Torrin (Bla Bheinn Views)
Claigan Coral Beaches
The Quirang
The Storr
Neist Point
Fairy Pools (Glen Brittle)
Camasunary (walk over)

Loads of places really but the above are all well known without undertaking any major expeditions.

Small as it may be - like much of the Highlands - Skye can take longer to get around than you may think so whilst there's loads of amazing locations - with limited time you can soon find yourself dashing around like a headless chicken getting the light and time of day all wrong.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/skye-suggestions.353200/#post-4029720

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/th...t-knows-the-isle-of-skye.291457/#post-3358758

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/what-to-shoot-while-on-skye.396161/#post-4531078

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/going-to-skye-what-not-to-miss.507753/#post-5833452
 
Most of its already been said but if you need any advice about the area feel free to pm me anytime as I live on Skye ;)
 
Loch Cill Chroisd AKA The Hairy Loch
Elgol (Cuillin Views)
Ord (Cuillin Views)
Tokavaig (Cuillin Views)
Loch Slapin nr Torrin (Bla Bheinn Views)
Claigan Coral Beaches
The Quirang
The Storr
Neist Point
Fairy Pools (Glen Brittle)
Camasunary (walk over)

Loads of places really but the above are all well known without undertaking any major expeditions.

Small as it may be - like much of the Highlands - Skye can take longer to get around than you may think so whilst there's loads of amazing locations - with limited time you can soon find yourself dashing around like a headless chicken getting the light and time of day all wrong.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/skye-suggestions.353200/#post-4029720

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/th...t-knows-the-isle-of-skye.291457/#post-3358758

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/what-to-shoot-while-on-skye.396161/#post-4531078

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/going-to-skye-what-not-to-miss.507753/#post-5833452

Thanks for that Phil. I'd love to do the whole lot but, like you say, with limited time I'd rather plan well and get to the right places at the right times.

Thanks for doing the leg work on those threads too - I did a quick search but obviously not thouroughly enough :)

Am I likely to have any problems with the roads etc in Feb?....I'm thinking in terms of bad weather. This will be as far off the beaten track as I've gone in the name of photography.
 
Most of its already been said but if you need any advice about the area feel free to pm me anytime as I live on Skye ;)

Thanks Marie - much appreciated. Been meaning to push myself further in terms of landscape photography for a while as I've stagnated a bit and Skye has been on my must-do list for ages, looks like a magical place!
 
We don't get that much snow here but if you have winter tyres they might come in handy. Weather is hit and miss but february can be good for photography.
If you haven't been to Glencoe then I'd suggest a stop over there too.
 
Cheers Steve - plenty of ideas there - really like the Elgol shot.

I'll be praying to whoever will listen for a descent sunrise asfter a 7-8 hour journey to get there.

I'm thinking of heading up in Feb for the chance to catch some snow on the higher ground. I've heard it's best to go between Nov - March to get the most dramatic weather.

Dramatic, you mean unpredictable.

The weather is always unpredictable. I favour clement days for shooting, but on Skye the rules go out the window. I'd stay for a good while there to maximise your chances of a decent sunset, sunrise and golden hours and everything else that Skye will throw at you.
 
We don't get that much snow here but if you have winter tyres they might come in handy. Weather is hit and miss but february can be good for photography.
If you haven't been to Glencoe then I'd suggest a stop over there too.

I'll keep that in mind.

Glencoe is on the itinerary too. For someone who never ventures further north than Glasgow this is what I'd class as an adventure :)
 
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Dramatic, you mean unpredictable.

The weather is always unpredictable. I favour clement days for shooting, but on Skye the rules go out the window. I'd stay for a good while there to maximise your chances of a decent sunset, sunrise and golden hours and everything else that Skye will throw at you.

Wish I had a bit longer to spend there Steve but the schedule just doesn't allow it. I'll most likely be traveling up on a Friday evening then heading back after sunset on the Sunday. It's a fair old drive for the sake of a day or so but you only live once right ;)
 
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The weather can make or break your holiday. I tried 4 sunrises at Storr - all same wet misery despite OK forecast. Culin mountains are very much worth exploring, including Fairy pools in the evening light.
 
The weather can make or break your holiday. I tried 4 sunrises at Storr - all same wet misery despite OK forecast. Culin mountains are very much worth exploring, including Fairy pools in the evening light.

Yeah, I realise that I'm going to have to ride my luck and hope for the best re the sunrises. Plenty of disappointed drives home after 4am rises have tought me not to get my hopes up.

Those fairy pools look amazing. It's all well out of my comfort zone as far as locations go so just finding and getting to most of these locations will feel like an achievement!
 
Wish I had a bit longer to spend there Steve but the schedule just doesn't allow it. I'll most likely be traveling up on a Friday evening then heading back after sunset on the Sunday. It's a fair old drive for the sake of a day or so but you only live once right ;)

See to be honest, for that short a visit I wouldn't bother. I'd recommend Glencoe as its three hours each way less for you than Skye and just as good (some would say better).
You need a week on Skye to make it worthwhile.
 
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See to be honest, for that short a visit I wouldn't bother. I'd recommend Glencoe as its three hours each way less for you than Skye and just as good (some would say better).
You need a week on Skye to make it worthwhile.

Coming from the North East of England, aye. I *when I had a car, did Skye on a day trip or overnight. But thats from Glasgow and stopping in Glencoe for a morning.

I'd agree, Glencoe, Rannoch, Glen Etive offers great landscapes in quite a confined area. Skye you need a week as the weathers crap, one sunset at Elgol, one at Neist point, a grey day for the fair pools, a good morning for sunrise on Storr, anther for the Quairing, and thats just the cliched stuff that everyone shoots never mind things you spot and see along the way.
 
See to be honest, for that short a visit I wouldn't bother. I'd recommend Glencoe as its three hours each way less for you than Skye and just as good (some would say better).
You need a week on Skye to make it worthwhile.

Last thing I wanted to do was try and cram too much into one visit - I've done that with the lakes before and more or less ruined it.

A week in Skye isn't on the cards in the near future (2 kids, 2 jobs and an impending wedding) so I'll take your advice and look at locations in and around Glencoe....suppose that way I can always get the clichéd shot I've always wanted of Castle Stalker :)
 
Coming from the North East of England, aye. I *when I had a car, did Skye on a day trip or overnight. But thats from Glasgow and stopping in Glencoe for a morning.

I'd agree, Glencoe, Rannoch, Glen Etive offers great landscapes in quite a confined area. Skye you need a week as the weathers crap, one sunset at Elgol, one at Neist point, a grey day for the fair pools, a good morning for sunrise on Storr, anther for the Quairing, and thats just the cliched stuff that everyone shoots never mind things you spot and see along the way.

Yeah, it was always going to be a stretch but now that everyone has listed just how much there is to shoot there, it's going to have to be shelved for a while.

Marie is one luck lady to have all of that in her back garden!
 
Yeah, it was always going to be a stretch but now that everyone has listed just how much there is to shoot there, it's going to have to be shelved for a while.

Marie is one luck lady to have all of that in her back garden!

Just go for longer, or do Glencoe. You can shoot early AM there, sunset on the west coast, all in a day no problem from Newcastle. Pick a fair day and go for it. Skye though...I'd want longer...
 
Yeah, it was always going to be a stretch but now that everyone has listed just how much there is to shoot there, it's going to have to be shelved for a while.

Marie is one luck lady to have all of that in her back garden!

And yet I'm going to Glencoe for a week in Easter :p
A change is as good as a rest as they say.

You wont be disappointed with Glencoe. Have a look at invercoe.co.uk as a base to stay as its very clean and well equipped.
 
And yet I'm going to Glencoe for a week in Easter :p
A change is as good as a rest as they say.

You wont be disappointed with Glencoe. Have a look at invercoe.co.uk as a base to stay as its very clean and well equipped.

See you there :p I'll try not to get in your way this time...LOL (all dependent on blagging a lift)
 
Considering you are thinking of going to Skye from Friday evening to Sunday sunset in February (when sunset is about 5:30ish) I agreed with Marie.

Unless you are close to the island it is a long drive(eg about 90 miles to drive from Glencoe just to get on Skye), potentially longer in winter, and as Phil has mentioned Skye is deceptively large and, like a lot of highland Scotland, it is so spectacular that you would be stopping frequently.

I'd save it for another time.

Dave
 
You don't need a week for Skye if all goes to plan, but then it probably won't. evening 1 - Fairy pools. Morning 1 - Elogl; evening 2 - Eilean Donan; Morning 3 - Storr - and you are done. My advice is to check on weather satelite maps as you go and follow the light. i.e. It is better to stay around sunny Ben Lomond just off Glasgow rather than getting drenched in Skye.
 
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Not sure whether to go for the framed print or the canvas wrap of that photo. The mock ups underneath are tempting.

Edit: For some reason it now just shows a photo of your face, whereas before there was a choice of framed prints, holiday cards or canvases.

I'd recommend a 24x16 framed print on gloss fine art paper...
 
I stayed in Fort William in late August for 3 nights. I tried to do Skye in a day and all I managed was to get to Elgol, take a boat tour for the afternoon, get back to the car, eat and then return to Fort William at about 21.30! It was a great day with clear blue skies but the travelling time to get anywhere up there is pretty epic. You definitely need more time up there! I'd love to go back next year and move around camp sites and maybe even wild camp to take in the full experience.

Rannoch Moor was pretty amazing as well as many of the roads further north. I didn't have time to explore these though, maybe next time!

Dan
 
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