Up on the top of Stac Pollaidh

Tobers

Tobers

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Andy
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#1
Stac Pollaidh by Tobers, on Flickr
I took this after the most beautiful walk/climb/scramble up to the (lower) summit of Stack Pollaidh, a mountain in Assynt in north west Scotland. Conditions were ideal, with little wind and cloud well clear of the summit for the first time in the two weeks I was in Assynt (and this was the final day). There was a lot of snow on the north side, so I had the ice axe out but didn't quite need my crampons as the snow was still soft enough to kick steps into. It was pretty chilly up top and we stayed there until sunset, descending with head torches as it got darker.

Tricky to find a decent composition up there as there are lots of haphazard rock formations everywhere, so I decided to go for some detail of the curved ridges of snow as the sunlight just caught them. If you look closely at the picture you see the top ridge of snow has a lovely golden light shining through it.

Below is the mountain in question. I took this one at dawn a couple of days before we climbed up it. There had been an excellent snow fall that night (12 inches or more in places) and the morning sky was full of snow storms with little gaps for the dawn sun to sneak through. Dream conditions. Photogasmic! Getting to this spot involved negotiating an unploughed Summer Isles road to Achiltbuie which I'm sure some of you know. I had put winter tyres on my Golf R before the trip and really needed them for this. 4WD plus winter tyres rocks.

#2
Stac Pollaidh by Tobers, on Flickr

This is a rather boring panorama looking north from the top of Stac Pollaidh at Suilven in the distance. Amazing views. I just sat and looked at it for some time. It's not included for any specific photographic merit - but just to show how amazing it is on top of a Scottish mountain in the winter.

#3
Assynt by Tobers, on Flickr

Here's a gratuitous pic of me on the top. The climb was under 2 hours - no problem apart from the last bit which is quite steep and needed a lot of care in thigh deep snow. Like I said, it was a really fantastic experience going up there. Kit used for all these was a Leica M-240 with 28 Elmarit lens (and Lee Seven5 ND grad filter for the two vertical shots).

#4
Stac Pollaidh summit by Tobers, on Flickr
 
I much prefer this set to the other one you posted. Actually I really like this set. The more abstracty "David Ward" ones didn't really float my boat but these are great.

You might not like the Panorama but I think it is a most excellent image and the big open view really something to behold. The second one is a jewel of an image. Its absolutely stunning. The second is one of the most inspiring images, if not the most inspiring image I have seen of that area. It is a master piece.
 
ST4 said:
You might not like the Panorama but I think it is a most excellent image and the big open view really something to behold. The second one is a jewel of an image. Its absolutely stunning. The second is one of the most inspiring images, if not the most inspiring image I have seen of that area. It is a master piece.
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Wow - high praise indeed - many thanks to all three of you. I'll have to put some processing work into that panorama now :).

It's safe to say that myself and the other two pals who were with me on the morning that #2 happened were literally whooping with excitement as the sun came up and we saw it all unfolding. It was simply amazing. After the perilous adrenaline filled journey in (and if you know that road you'll know how tricky it is when its dry, let alone covered in a foot of fresh snow) this was the icing on the cake. We had to take a lot of care not to screw up each others' and our own pictures by trampling through all the fresh snow so we devised a plan of attack for the scene to work through it methodically. Needless to say I have a lot of shots from that morning, so here are another two pics from that set just to show how gorgeous it was.

#5


#6, with snow rainbow (didn't realised these existed!)
 
Just drool....

Seriously. Awesome images. I was a bit critical of the "David Ward " set but you have me thinking I need to take a drive up here next winter (close up, detail images just don't do it for me).

In six The curve of the land in size just leads you in, the composition is spot on. The light, the view, the atmosphere, I am wowed in a way I rarely am.
 
ST4 said:
In six The curve of the land in size just leads you in, the composition is spot on. The light, the view, the atmosphere, I am wowed in a way I rarely am.
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Thanks! And I hope you like the particularly tufty grasses sticking out of the little lump of snow in the foreground of #6. Lots of tiny adjustments to get that just right with none of the grasses overlapping.

Yes, you should definitely go there. You'll have to be very lucky to get the same conditions, but even with no snow the light is amazing there, and the scenery is drop-dead gorgeous. There's usually snow on the tops but rarely does it come down so low. It's definitely worth a mid February trip. The drive from Guildford too 10.5 hours with a couple of fuel stops and a nap halfway so it's not like it's hard to get there, and if you like driving the roads past Glasgow are great (go up the Loch Ness side and avoid the boring A9).
 
Tobers said:
Thanks! And I hope you like the particularly tufty grasses sticking out of the little lump of snow in the foreground of #6. Lots of tiny adjustments to get that just right with none of the grasses overlapping.

Yes, you should definitely go there. You'll have to be very lucky to get the same conditions, but even with no snow the light is amazing there, and the scenery is drop-dead gorgeous. There's usually snow on the tops but rarely does it come down so low. It's definitely worth a mid February trip. The drive from Guildford too 10.5 hours with a couple of fuel stops and a nap halfway so it's not like it's hard to get there, and if you like driving the roads past Glasgow are great (go up the Loch Ness side and avoid the boring A9).
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I am based near Glasgow. Its not a day trip but do able for a long weekend. I haven't been that way since 2012. I wouldn't worry too much about the blades of grass, I never noticed until you drew my attention to it but nature is disorderly, I might have just left them as they were. Whats more important is the lead in, light and subject are just right and well done for not blowing it out.

I don't like the A9. Average speed cameras on that ;)
 
Absolutely spectacular Andy, and #2 and its variations are the standout shots for me. Assynt doesn't get much real snow nowadays with being so close to the coast, so I reckon you've hit conditions that you might never encounter again. I'm sure you'll cherish the memories and having the photos will be a constant reminder that you didn't just imagine it!
 
Beautiful set, I'll just agree with everyone else's posts :)

The loch at the bottom is wonderful in the summer- shallow, warm, white sand.
And a nice view of the Stac.
 
Great set Andy
Is that a hint of a rainbow in #6
 
Scott Robertson said:
Superb set and way better than I got from there at the weekend with clear blue skies. The second picture of the Stac is gorgeous with the fresh snow, light and moody sky.
Was on top of Stac Polly for sunrise on Saturday night and saw a couple of tracks in the snow, probably yours.
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Thanks! We were last up there on Friday, coming down in the dark. Gorgeous conditions if a little chilly.

alfbranch said:
Great set Andy
Is that a hint of a rainbow in #6
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Thanks - yes it is - a "snowbow" if such a thing exists. I'll have to check...
 
Cracker. Up on Monday and there was almost no snow left and no light at all. Bad timing.
 
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