Scotland - Glen Coe, Fort William & Isle of Skye

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Me²

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Tom
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I'm just back from an awesome 9 day break driving in Scotland. I've never been there before and I was with my significant other, so this was not a photography holiday. I did however manage to get several photos I'm very happy with along our travels, one of which in particular will be gracing my wall, in a very large form. So here we are, my collection of favorites, some I'm very happy with, some not so much - but you can make your own opinions such is the beauty of photography.

I unashamedly hit all the normal spots and viewpoints possible, they're visited and photographed often, over and over again, but for good reason - and I'd never been before so I wanted my own creation from these spots. I will be back, no doubt about it.

On to the photos.

[1] The Falls of Dochart at Killin. Taken on the drive up to our first stop, Fort William.



[2] Rannoch Moor on a miserable day, it wasn't pleasant, but I'm partial to grey skies with texture, so I thought it warranted a stop all the same, even if the view wasn't all it could have been.



[3] The little herdsman, Buachaille Etive Beag, near the head of Glen Etive, our next Skyfall inspired stop.



[4] People who know me well in real life wouldn't believe me if I said this wasn't my idea... Glen Etive.



[5] Glen Coe and The Three Sisters, from a short scramble off the road, framed to hide the road as best possible. Panorama of 3 separate shots, each at 16mm.



[6] The classic view of Castle Stalker, but this one is mine!



Cont...
 
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[7] On our last day in Fort William we'd decided to pop up Ben Nevis, very enjoyable until the last section on the way down. This was the morning view from the start of the hike. It boded well for the day.



[8] On the day Scotland threw everything at us weather wise, but on the way down and with the light fading, we got some fantastic views (we finished by torch light).



[9] The drive to Skye from Fort William is jaw dropping, even in the weather we had - driving rain. Nearing Skye Bridge and with the day slipping away the storm broke and this view greeted us as we rounded a corner. The clouds were breaking up and fast moving. Pretty perfect with the last light of the day still in the sky.



[10] The impressive Black Cuillins. I love mountains, and these have to be Britain's finest examples.



[11] Despite the change in light, this was taken on the same day as the one above, during a walk up to the Fairy Pools at Glen Brittle. Again, Scotland chucked the lot at us weather wise, but it was rainbows gallore as a result.



[12] As above, from the last pool at the top of the walk. The Cuillins remind me of burnt, charred tree stumps. They are sinister looking mountains.



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[13] We stayed in a little thatched cottage in Elgol, which on the one morning we had decent weather early enough, meant I could get a shot of the Cuillins from the beach there that I will definitely be hanging on the wall.



[14] Anyone going to Skye must do an AquaXplore boat trip from Elgol. It was amazing fun.



[15] Keeping the theme of classic locations. A trip to Skye wouldn't be complete without visiting Storr.



[16] Now, on to something I was really looking forward to; the night sky. I'd seen similar whilst in NZ, but was really able to capture the Milky Way with the detail I could of only got with my D800. Set up with haste at the side of the road - no composition fanciness, just stuck on a tripod and pointed straight up.



[17] And once back 'home', with a bit more care and a torch to light our cottage...



[18] Our final day on Skye was awful, just solid grey skies and rain, nothing else, all day. We decided therefore to drive as far west as possible; Neist Point.



And that as they say, is that.

Thanks for looking.

Tom
 
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Really nice.....especially 8 through to 13! :clap:
 
Pretty much an epic write up. Certainly makes me want to take a trip up there, and some lovely captures throughout the set. Really enjoyed scrolling through the whole set, a nice variety, but tied in well together.
Looks pretty much like a landscape photographers paradise. Considering you set out stating that it was not a photographic trip, you did very well!
 
Looks like you had a good time Tom and you've managed to get around photographing a few well loved locations.

Your number 3 is actually Buachaille Etive Beag (the little herdsman of Etive) which is sadly often overlooked for it's more celebrated neighbour.
 
Matty2 said:
Considering you set out stating that it was not a photographic trip, you did very well!
Click to expand...

I did indeed, it helped that I took along x2 bodies and let my good lady loose with the D700. Worked out well for me in the end as she was keen to get out and photograph too herself.

dinners said:
Your number 3 is actually Buachaille Etive Beag (the little herdsman of Etive)
Click to expand...

:D Thank you, I will edit!

Thank you all.
 
Far too many to comment on, but looks like you had a wonderful trip. I was up in Skye earlier this year, and it's a beautiful place. I love the shot of Eilean Donan.
 
Really nice selection of images there. I think # 11 is my favourite, the rainbow and sun light breaking through are superb
 
Some wonderful shots there Tom, really love many of them - thanks for sharing them all :)
 
I love no 2,5,6,9 and 15 especially, but all of them look good.Makes me want to be there.
 
A great set,i would be very happy with these.:canon:
 
Lovely set Tom,
Can I ask which one will be "gracing you wall"? I could think of a couple? My personal favourites are 9, 17 and 5 in that order.
 
Thanks again everyone.

The ones I want on my wall (there are 2) are 13 - the Cuillins from Elgol, and 5 - the Glen Coe panorama.

13 just nudges it for me in terms of my favorite over all. There was someone posting their Scotland photos here a month or 2 ago, I really can't remember who it was off the top of my head, but they had several seascapes - one in particular from Elgol but not looking to the Cuillins - where they'd picked a ever so slightly slow shutter speed and I really loved the effect with the waves. I'd gone through their Flickr account and seen several others, I'm sure they were Scotland based, but without that influence, I might of gone for the standard 10 stop-smooth-out-the-water with the big stopper type shot and I'm over the moon I didn't. Just that tiny bit of captured movement I've got in 13 was exactly what I wanted. Guess I've got the TP community to thank for that one. :notworthy:

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