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Glen Affric, Glen Strathfarrar & Glen Cannich Photography Tour

£2,250.00

Trip at a Glance

Dates

18 October 2024 - 22 October 2024

Duration

4 nights

Location

Glen Affric, Strathfarrar & Cannich

Start / Finishes

Inverness

Exertion

Easy

Price

£2,250.00

Deposit

25%

  • Spend five days on location with Colin Prior
  • Enjoy access to some of the finest wooded glens in Scotland
  • Four nights, single occupancy accommodation in the Priory Hotel, Beauly, in 'Comfort' Doubles or Twins
  • Breakfast, three-course dinner, and packed lunch
  • Transport to and from Inverness Station
  • Tutorials and critique session with individual feedback

Four nights, single occupancy accommodation at The Priory Hotel, Beauly in 'Comfort' Doubles or Twins, with three-course meal included. https://www.priory-hotel.com

Travel Insurance
Drinks
Gratuities - please ensure that you bring sufficient cash with you.

Moderate - these tours involve straightforward hiking generally over good trails. Terrain underfoot is mainly on paths or hill trails which may be muddy in places. There may be a limited amount of uphill walking.

Tour Synopsis

The river widened and opened out to the shores of Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin. Its wide flat banks bore well grown Caledonian pines all in bottle green clusters well spaced with plenty of room to walk between the trunks. Through the clearings the glow of sun struck hills was reflected in calm water to rich colour glowing like an ancient stained-glass window. The scene was the finest of all the Scottish glens or indeed of any I have since seen in the Alps or Himalaya.

W H Murray The Evidence of Things Not Seen 2002

During the course of this tour, we will visit a variety of locations in and around the three glens detailed below. It has been designed specifically, to give participants the best opportunity of capturing the autumnal palette in some of the best wooded glens in Scotland.

Glen Affric, frequently described as the most beautiful glen in Scotland, representing the romantic, iconic, image of the Highland landscape, has drawn visitors to the area since Victorian times. Its appeal arises through a combination of dramatic mountains with high corries that drop with steep sides to the valley floor in which are set two lochs and a river. The lower slopes of the hillsides are carpeted in forest, one of the most picturesque remnants of native Caledonian Pine Forest in Scotland. Lochs with small bays give way to headlands and wooded isles that provide great backdrops for photography.

Glen Strathfarrar, although less well known, is another archetypal Highland glen with ancient forests covering the lower slopes. Dark green pine woods are interspersed with stands of the lighter birch, and by glades of heather and bracken where deer are sometimes glimpsed amongst the trees. Scattered, mature pines rising out of the rocks and heather hold the eye far up the sides of the glen, their tremendous size and horizontal crowns, adding an air of antiquity and timelessness of this glen. The River Farrar, a winding and sinuous river, full of interest and variety, roars down the glen, finally plunging over the Culligran Falls into the lower strath.

Adjacent to Glen Torridon, Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve is home to the largest remnant of ancient Caledonian forest in Wester Ross with some Scots pine trees nearly 400 years old. A distinctive mix of plants and animals thrive on the Reserve, including rare lichens, liverworts and mosses that flourish in the mild, damp woodlands. Below the tree line, pine marten, Scottish crossbill and northern emerald dragonfly make their home in the ancient pinewoods, whilst otters and black- throated divers can be seen where the Reserve meets the waters of Loch Maree.

The images used to promote this tour were captured by Colin Prior either on a personal trip or on a previous tour and are representative of the type of weather that we may or may not experience throughout the duration of this tour. In Scotland, one must be prepared for constant change.

Itinerary

Day 1

Inverness, Loch Maree, Beauly. Colin will meet you in the centre of Inverness Railway Station by the fixed seating area at 08:30. On the final day of the tour, we will return to Inverness Railway Station at 14:30, allowing clients to connect with rail services south. After the group has met, we will drive towards Loch Maree where we will work in a variety of locations, overlooking Slioch and will arrive at the Priory Hotel in Beauly, around 17:00

Day 2

Glen Strathfarrar. After breakfast, we will drive west to Glen Strathfarrar where we will spend the day, initially in Culligran Forest and thereafter follow the road as it ascends, passed tranquil lochs with huge stands of Scots pine towards moorland and the mountainous interior. The glen offers myriad photographic opportunities.

Day 3

Glen Affric. Today, our journey will take us along the shores of Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin, in Glen Affric and ultimately to Loch Affric. The lower slopes of the steep hillsides are carpeted in forest, one of the most picturesque remnants of native Caledonian pine forest in Scotland. Lochs with small bays give way to headlands and wooded isles that provide great backdrops for photography.

Day 4

Dundonnell. Following breakfast, we will drive north to Loch Droma in an attempt to photograph An Teallach. Our journey will take us along the 'Destitution Road' and ultimately to Dundonnell where will stop at several locations to capture the An Teallach massif.

Day 5

Glen Cannich. After checking out of our hotel, we will head for Glen Cannich, the third of great glens which form the Glen Strathfarrar National Scenic Area. The steep climb out of the village of Cannich through natural woodland and into Glen Cannich follows river and waterfalls before the scenery opens up to two of the finest peaks in the Highlands, Mam Sodhail and Carn Eighe which lead away to the hills of Kintail. It is a place of solitude and remoteness. Following lunch at 12:30, we will depart for Inverness Station to arrive at 14:30 where the tour will conclude.

Essential Information

Lightweight boots or wellies often the terrain we cover is boggy and wellies are the best way to keep your feet dry.
Waterproof jacket and trousers
Hat for sun protection or warmth
Casual clothes for evening wear
Personal wash kit
Head torch
Midge net
Sunscreen
Re-usable water bottle

The information below is intended simply as a guide to help you achieve the most enjoyment from this tour.

All brands of cameras and lenses do the same thing; they look outwardly into the world and record what they see on different sized sensors. What differentiates what they see is not the camera, but the person looking through the viewfinder. So, what will help you gain most from this tour is a familiarity of your own camera’s layout and menu structure. There is no shortage of tutorials on You Tube to aid you in this process and it is essential that you take the time to understand how to control the most salient features of camera.

Camera bags come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important that your bag can hold the equipment you wish to carry, comfortably, over uneven terrain and that your balance is not affected by its design, or lack of it. Backpacks distribute weight evenly between your shoulders and hips and are normally supplied with a rain cover.

Lenses are a personal choice. Many landscape photographers will choose to shoot with a 16-35 mm, 24-70 mm or a 24-105 mm lens. Shooting with zoom lenses makes a great deal of sense as it reduces the equivalent number of prime lenses that would otherwise, have to be carried. Many photographers compliment their wide-angle zooms with either a 70-200 mm or 100-400 mm lens. If you enjoy working within the landscape, a 90 mm or 100 mm Macro lens opens myriad possibilities.

Under certain circumstances, filters are indispensable. Graduated neutral density filters control contrast locally and come in a range densities and graduations. The dynamic range of modern sensors has mitigated the need to use filters on many occasions and accordingly, I carry only two – a 0.6 (2 stop) filter with a soft graduation and a polarising filter which I used judicially.

Despite, image stabilisation allowing the hand holding of cameras down to very low shutter speeds, there is still no substitute for a good tripod in landscape photography. The emphasis should be on a relatively lightweight model which is easy to carry with one caveat; that it is more vulnerable in strong winds. One important factor when considering a tripod is that you can work comfortably with your camera at eye-level – many ‘travel tripods’ reach their maximum height well below this height and are stressful to use. Carbon fibre tripods are lighter and more expensive than those made from aluminium but do the same job.

Backup and storage – always a good idea to have your images in more than one place. It’s a good idea to bring your laptop onto which you can back up but also to select your best images for the critique session at the end of the tour.

Wet weather protection for your camera – this isn’t essential, however most digital camera don’t like moisture that much and it makes sense if you have some sort of cover – if it was raining heavily, it is unlikely that we would be photographing for long, however, a random shower or constant light drizzle can sometimes be problematic. Whilst there are specialist solutions available, having a polythene bag to hand would do the job.

Lens cloth – a lens cloth is useful for removing rain or sea spray if it finds its way onto a lens.

A remote release is crucial to ensure sharp images, either cable, Bluetooth or App.

Spare batteries – make sure that you don’t run out of juice.

To confirm your booking, you are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of 25% of the tour price. Once we receive your deposit, the contract between us will become binding and covers everyone you are booking on behalf of. After this, we will send you an invoice for the balance and advise you of the date for payment of the same. Brochure and website prices are quoted in UK Sterling. Payment will be accepted by:
Maestro, Visa Electron, Visa Debit and Solo debit cards or Visa/Mastercard/American Express credit cards.
Bank Transfer (details available from our office).

For our full Booking Conditions can be found here: Here

To confirm your booking, you are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of 25% of the tour price. Once we receive your deposit, the contract between us will become binding and covers everyone you are booking on behalf of. After this, we will send you an invoice for the balance and advise you of the date for payment of the same. Brochure and website prices are quoted in UK Sterling. Payment will be accepted by:
Maestro, Visa Electron, Visa Debit and Solo debit cards or Visa/Mastercard/American Express credit cards.
Bank Transfer (details available from our office).

For our full Booking Conditions can be found here:

We strenuously recommend that you take out a travel insurance policy as soon as you have booked your trip with us.

A travel insurance policy protects you and your holiday arrangements from the unexpected before and during your trip. It is your responsibility to make sure you have adequate cover, and we are not able to offer advice on insurance. However, we recommend your policy should include cover for emergency medical costs, cancellation or curtailment of your trip, personal belongings/baggage and personal liability:

In the event of emergency rescue and medical care and/or repatriation from a trip due to injury or medical emergency, any evacuation and medical costs will be borne by the client.
If you need to cancel your trip with us, then you may lose some or all the money you have paid.All luggage and personal equipment are, always, at your own risk. We will not be responsible whatsoever for any loss, damage to your luggage and/or personal equipment.

Some options for Travel Insurance Providers include:
Campbell Irvine Direct
Journeyman Insurance Services

However, we recommend you do your own research to find the best provider for you.


Park Inn by Radisson
Glasgow City Centre
139-141 West George Street
Glasgow G2 2JJ
0141 221 1211

Motel One
78-82 Oswald Street
Glasgow
G1 4PL
0141 468 0450

Grand Central Hotel 4-Star Hotel
99 Gordon St
Glasgow
G1 3SF
0141 240 3700

Radisson Blu Hotel,
Glasgow
301 Argyle Street
Glasgow
G2 8DL
0141 204 3333

Premier Inn
Glasgow City Centre (Argyle Street)
377 Argyle Street Glasgow
G2 8LL
0333 777 7292

Millennium Hotel Glasgow
George Square
Glasgow G2 1DS
0141 332 6711

Jurys Inn Glasgow Hotel
80 Jamaica Street
Glasgow
G1 4QG
0141 314 4800


Premier Inn Inverness
19-21 Huntly Street
Inverness
IV3 5PR
Tel: 0871 527 9302
www.premierinn.com

Premier Inn Inverness
Millburn Road
Inverness
IV2 3QX
Tel: 0871 527 8544
www.premierinn.com

Eildon Guest House
29 Old Edinburgh Road
Inverness
IV2 3HF
Tel: 01463 231969
eildonguesthouse@yahoo.co.uk

Dionard Guest House
4 Star
39 Old Edinburgh Road
Inverness
IV2 3HJ
Tel: 01463 233557
www.dionardguesthouse.co.uk

Glenmoriston Town House Hotel
4 Star Luxury Hotel
Ness Bank
Inverness
IV2 4SF
Tel: 01463 223 777
www.glenmoristontownhouse.com

Lynver Guest House
4 Star
30 Southside Road
Inverness

Colin will meet you in the centre of Inverness Railway Station by the fixed seating area 08:30. On the final day of the workshop, we will return to Inverness Railway Station at 14:30, allowing clients to connect with rail services south.

Coronavirus - COVID-19

We continue to run tours in a way that is true to our values, respecting each of you as individual travellers, whilst respecting the communities that we are visiting.

Please note that new bookings will only be accepted on the provision that if the trip is unable to go ahead due to Covid 19 restrictions and the trip suspended, payments will be held indefinitely and can be put towards any future workshop.

Traveller responsibility


1. We request that all travellers bring a minimum of 2 reusable masks.
2. That clients declare if they feel they that they may have COVID-19 symptoms.
3. That you do not travel if you feel unwell or are symptomatic before the trip.
4. That you follow all guidelines and procedures set out by us and any suppliers we use.

The current situation in the UK

To stay informed, we recommend you visit the UK Government website as well as the Scottish Government site.

Travel advisories and inbound health measures
If you are travelling from outside the UK then you must review the contents of this section of the Scottish Government guidance before considering travel to Scotland.

Travel advice for travellers visiting the UK from common locations

United States   |   Canada   |   Australia

We recommend you check your own government advice with regards to travel to the UK and Scotland.

Pre-trip information
Please take extra care to read through any pre-trip information you are sent, paying particular attention to the COVID-19 details and requirements, such as bringing your own face masks, and being aware of any rules which apply in Scotland which may be different to rules where you live.

Please also check with your airline/train company about any specific requirements they may have in place for your journey to Scotland. If you’re informed, then you’ll be able to raise any questions with us ahead of your trip, which of course we’ll be delighted to help with.