Charlie Peel Photography - Scottish Nature

There is a generalised idea that in the United Kingdom it rains permanently and therefore it is almost impossible to enjoy a little sunshine. Maybe we were just lucky but of our time spent in that wild land of the north, one of the things I best remember is the luminosity and the vivacity of the colours. The sun and clouds taking continous turns in the sky ment you could witness a variety of different scenes in a question of minutes, without moving.

One morning we decided to take the walk to Sandwood Bay on the west coast, close to Cape Wrath in the north, so recommended (with reason) by our guide book. You can only reach this beach by air, sea or foot so we set out along the clearly signposted footpath, along which we found very few people,until after one and a half hours walk you come over a rise and a magnificent beach of white sand stretches out infront of you with Am Buachaille guarding the south end of the beach. In this landscape of peace and tranquility where the breeze blows softly over white sands more suited to the Caribbean it is hard to believe you're deep in the Scottish Highlands.

In an area rich in wildlife such as this, it is important to make the most of the first and last hours of the day, as these are the times you are most likely to see animales coming out of the forests to drink in one of the many rivers. On one evening such as this, we were driving through Glen Orchy, a stunning little road, when we surprised three deer in the river. We stopped, they looked up and for a few seconds everything stopped and then in a couple of leaps they disappeared deep into the forest.

If you carry on along this road towards the North you reach Glen Coe. A beautiful valley surrounded by some of the most emblematic mountains of Scotland where there are inumerable walks to be enjoyed. Within the valley of Glen Coe is the Clachaig Inn, one of the most authentic pubs that we had the pleasure of visiting during the trip. It was here that I tried the famous heather ale, another fond memory as I don't particularly like beer yet I tried and enjoyed many of the different varieties of scottish ale.

In the Trossachs, an area known for its heroes & villains due to the many colourful characters, such as William Wallace and Rob Roy that lived and made history in the area, we discover a completely different landscape with some of the most beautiful Loch's of Scotland. Loch Katrine in the early morning with an air of peacefulness is a magical place to take a walk as the sun rises over one of the surrounding hills.

I cannot leave without dedicating a small note to the wonderful seafood that we enjoyed in a small and distant restaurant on the north coast of the Isle of Skye. Possibly the finest oysters I have ever had the pleasure of trying and certainly worth the journey. On the way we crossed the dark lanscapes of Skye, which are worthy of a journey all of their own.

Scotland offers a wide variety of options: castles, history, fishing and shooting, golf, whiskey, monumental cities and lots of nature. Defining which is our main interest will help us choose the most adequate photographic equipment for our trip.
In my case I took a very simple setup as our aim was to make a first contact with the country and to see as much as possible in our short visit. The kit consisted of a Canon EOS3, 2 lenses (28-135mm and a 300mm f4), a polarising filter and a tripod. Fuji Velvia and Provia were my film choices.
For a return trip I would change my equipment as it was the landscapes and the magical light that captured my imagination the most. So I would take a large format camara and concentrate my visit to one or two locations only.
Medium Format and Panoramic camaras such as the Hasselblad XPan are ideal for landscapes while 35mm or digital camaras with a long telephoto are best for fauna (deer, seals, puffins, eagles, etc.).

Highlands - Highlands Tourist Information.
Clachaig Inn -A pub with a great atmosphere, good food and an excellent selection of local ales.
Loch Bay Restaurant - Well worth the effort to visit this excellent restaurant.
Whisky - Information about Scotlands Whiskies.
Colin Prior - Stunning photographs of the Scottish Landscape.
Walks - Maps and directions for walks throughout Scotland.

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