I know I’ve mentioned this before, but one thing that impresses about the mountains of Scotland is that they have the appearance alpine terrain in my California High Sierra. There are few or no trees, the only vegetation is the sort that lies under your feet if you walk through it. The peaks are sharp and rugged and rocky. The entire landscape — mountains, streams, valleys — is laid bare. In the Sierra I must go well above 10,000′ to see this. In Scotland it begins barely above sea level.

Among my Scotland photographs you may have seen a few icons, the subjects that every visitor photographs. But you’ll also see quite a few unnamed peaks, random little valleys, intermittent streams, and other features that aren’t well known enough to identify by name. It is another of the beauties of the place that such subjects are everywhere.

COMMENT OR QUESTION? Scroll down to the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.