Glencoe and Skye Photography Tour

Glencoe and Skye are two of the finest locations for landscape photography anywhere in the British Isles. Together they offer wonderfully contrasting vistas of rugged mountains, sublime glens and stunning coast. This tour is scheduled for late March, when frost and mist are common, plus snowfall is a very real possibility that would further enhance our photography. Many of my most successful British landscape images (including those shown on here) have been taken in these two locations at this time of year.

The tour will start at Glasgow station and/or airport and proceed to Glencoe for two nights. We will take in the famous pyramidal mountain of Buchaillie Etive Mor guarding the entrance to Glencoe, the Black Mountains on Rannoch Moor, picturesque lochans, the Pass of Glencoe and the ruins of Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe. On day 3 we drive from Glencoe via Fort William where we will photograph the Corpach wreck and (weather permitting) Ben Nevis, to the famous Eilean Donan Castle and on to the Isle of Skye for five nights. Our schedule here will be flexible to make the most of conditions. We will make sunrise forays to the famous Old Man of Storr (which involves a fairly steep ascent starting in darkness) and the Quiraing, together with evening shoots at Elgol beach and Neist Point with its iconic lighthouse. Other planned locations include Talisker Beach with its intricately patterned sands and Fairy Pools, where small waterfalls tumble against a stunning backdrop of the Cuillin Mountains. From our base at Sligachan there is superb mountain photography to be done within a few metres of the front door!

On our final morning we will drive from Skye past the Five Sisters of Kintail, along the length of Loch Ness and the tour will finish at Inverness station and/or airport in the early afternoon.

Itinerary (maybe subject to adjustment to make best use of weather conditions):

Day 1: Pickup at Glasgow, proceed to Glencoe. Afternoon photography in Pass of Glencoe. Dinner. Evening presentation.
Day 2: Lochan Na H'Achlaise and Black Mountain at dawn. Breakfast. Morning at Buachaille Etive Mor and Glen Etive. Afternoon: Clachaig Falls and Torren Lochan. Dinner.
Day 3: Kilchurn Castle at dawn. Breakfast. Morning: Ben Nevis and wreck of the Dayspring. Afternoon: Eilean Donan Castle and Skye Bridge. Dinner.
Day 4: Sligachan at sunrise. Breakfast. Morning: Black Cuillin from Fairy Pools. Afternoon: Talisker Bay for sunset. Dinner.
Day 5: Old Man of Storr at sunrise. Breakfast. Morning: Relax/image processing. Main meal. Afternoon: Neist Point for sunset.
Day 6: Breakfast. All day: Loch Fada, Bride's Veil Waterfall, Fairy Glen. Sligachan for sunset. Dinner.
Day 7: Quiriang at sunrise. Breakfast. Morning: Relax/image processing. Main meal. Afternoon: Black Cuillin from Elgol beach for sunset.
Day 8: Loch Cill Chriosd at sunrise. Breakfast. Five Sisters of Kintail, Loch Ness. Afternoon: Tour ends at Inverness.

Group size: Maximum of 6 participants.

Recommended photographic equipment: Digital single lens reflex camera, lenses ranging from wide angle (ideally 16mm on full frame) to short telephoto (200mm+), tripod, neutral density filters (ideally 4 stop, 6 stop and 10 stop) and polarising filter. Warm/waterproof clothes and walking boots.

Dates:

• 22 to 29 March 2024 Start Glasgow, finish Inverness

Meet at lunchtime on Day 1, depart early afternoon on day 8.

Eight day tour, price £1,725 for twin/double occupancy. Single supplement £295.

Included: Accommodation in single rooms at Bridge of Orchy Hotel (Glencoe) for two nights and Sligachan Hotel (Skye) for five nights, all meals except lunches, travel starting from Glasgow and ending at Inverness, guiding.

Not included: Flights/trains to Glasgow and from Inverness, lunches, drinks.

Comments from participants on previous Glencoe and Skye tours with Natural World Photography:
"Many thanks for an excellent tour. I really enjoyed the trip and got a lot from it ... Well organised flexible sessions which got us to all the locations suggested. The locations were stunning and you gave just the right amount of help and tuition to make the most of the time we had at each location." MH, Somerset

"Thank you again for an excellent tour; you worked very hard to make it an exceptional experience ... The evident planning: As advertised, the itinerary remained flexible to ensure we had the best opportunity at each “shoot”. Your diligence and attention-to-detail in the planning was exemplary." DM, Worcestershire

"As always, the days were packed with photo opportunities which is why you are the best professional that we have the privilege to spend time with." DP, Berkshire

"Robert worked tirelessly to ensure we were in the right place at the right time. This meant he regularly checked the weather, time of sunrise/sunset, high/low tides and matched the locations to visit with the appropriate conditions. There were a wide variety of locations which meant we have a very good selection of different types of photographs. I have a large quantity of photographs that I am extremely pleased with." KP, Berkshire

"I thought the tour was extremely well organised with great attention to timings and general detail. Pick up and drop off worked well. The other photographers were good company. Weather was almost too good, but I'm not complaining." KR, Warwickshire

"The organisation and research which had obviously gone into the excellent planning made all the difference to being in the right place at the right time. I like the no-nonsense approach and the fact that the time available is used so constructively. The weather certainly helped but I feel I got some of my best images on this tour and would like to thank Robert for encouraging me to really think about composition and camera settings together with constructive help as a tool to improve initial thoughts." LM, Staffordshire

"Everything worked well. It was so well planned and executed with some great locations and always a back-up plan should the weather not be as desired. I enjoyed the packed itinerary which gave me ample excellent photographic opportunities and whilst it was tiring, that’s what I expected. The hotels were great, exceptionally well placed, quiet and comfortable. Robert was a great tour leader with lots of knowledge and expertise and the right amount of input. As a small group, we each got a great deal of personal support and help. The walks were sometimes challenging but I really enjoyed them and felt that I had been appropriately challenged, the reward at the end of every hike was so worth the effort." CM, Somerset

"I enjoyed all aspects of the tour, the photographic opportunities were excellent and everything was well organised." BC, Wiltshire

"I thought your planning, organisation and professionalism was first rate ... variety of the places we visited and therefore the images we took. e.g. beach, mountains, waterfalls; appreciating how light is so effective in photography at sunrise and at sunsets; personal tuition on tips and techniques in Landscape Photography ... it exceeded expectations". RR, Hampshire, Glencoe and Skye

"I greatly enjoyed last week. It was a hugely rewarding experience – even if the price to pay was some aching muscles and sore joints, as a result of our packed-to-overflowing timetable. It was a real privilege to see and photograph so many iconic venues and to benefit from your meticulous planning with reference to sunrise, sunset, low and high tides et cetera. I would certainly endorse your comments about our congenial group and the fact that, despite the inevitable mix of photographic skills and our disparate backgrounds, we all bonded well and formed genuine friendships as a result – well done and thank you." HD, Wiltshire, Glencoe and Skye

"Good variety of locations; stunning scenery; hotels in good locations – good food and welcoming; great group of people, supporting each other and making it fun; itinerary was well planned for each day taking account of weather/light/tide conditions." CJ, Dorset, Glencoe and Skye

"The whole trip was worth it for the two exceptional morning conditions at Loch Awe and The Storr." PO, Wiltshire, Glencoe and Skye