“Canisp and Loch Ewe — Canisp peak rises above Loch Ewe with a tree-covered island.
Some travelers like to know everything about their destinations before they depart. I can understand — one reason we travel is to learn about new places and, more practically, knowledge can help you travel efficiently. But I’m partial to not knowing everything in advance, instead leaving plenty of room for discovery. (Of course, it helps — a lot — that my wife is a planner!) The details of this photograph may be a case in point. (There has been an update to this post. Click the “more” link below to see… more.)
“Rain Over Loch Leathan” — A rainy and cloudy day at Loch Leathan on the coast of hte Isle of Skye.
On the first full day of our recent visit to the Isle of Skye we headed up the island’s east coast, eventually reaching its tip before looping back. There are a number of worthy and well-known sites along this route, among them the famous “Old Man of Storr” formations. We planned to do the hike up to the feature, but as we arrived the heavens let loose — as they often do in Scotland — with very heavy rain and strong winds. We suited up and started the hike anyway.
“Eilean Donan Castle” — Eilean Donan Castle, on the inland sea near Isle of Skye
We have been traveling. A week ago we returned from a six-week visit to the British Isles — a couple of weeks in Scotland, a bit more than a week in Ireland, a one-week walk in the Cotswolds, and then some time in English cities. The photograph comes from near the start of the trip, just before we arrived on the Isle of Skye. We paused at the Eilean Donan Castle along the inland sea before crossing to the island. It was a welcome break on my first day of driving on left side of the road!
“Scottish Forest, Soft Light” — Soft light under thin overcast illuminates Scottish forest on the Great Glen Way.
This sort of terrain was far from typical during our trek along Scotland’s Great Glen Way this past May. We did walk through a lot of forests, but many of them were extremely dense and dark — that sort of forest you might describe as “impenetrable.” We did see moss like this in places, which is not surprise given the Scottish weather. But this sort of green, open forest was a bit of a rarity.
In any case, this open forest was also a surprise when we encountered it. At the start of the day’s hike we had climbed up from flatlands and into open highland terrain with expansive views and a lot of wind! From there we descended back into trees and then traversed along a ridge paralleling Loch Ness. Here the thick trees blocked any open views. But shortly after our lunch stop we came upon this magical, light-filled section of open forest.
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” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
