- Spend five days on location with Colin Prior
- Enjoy access to some of the most varied and dramatic locations in Scotland
- Four nights, single occupancy accommodation at the Ardvreck House
- Breakfast, three course dinner at the Ceilidh Place and packed lunch
- Transport to and from Inverness Station
- Tutorials and critique session with individual feedback
ASSYNT AND TORRIDON IN AUTUMN PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR
October 14 - October 18
£1550
TRIP AT A GLANCE
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Dates: 14 – 18 October 2020
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Duration: 4 nights / 5 days
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Location: Ullapool
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Start/Finishes: Inverness
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Exertion: Moderate
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Price: £1550
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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.
Four nights, single occupancy, en-suite accommodation at Ardvrek House. Situated in a secluded location on the outskirts of Ullapool, Ardvrek House has panoramic views to An Teallach and Loch Broom and the Summer Isles. Dinner is at The Ceilidh Place where the best seasonal produce is served – deer from the hill side, lamb from the crofts, fish from the sea and veggies from as near as possible when in season. The restaurant offers an excellent choice of wines, beers and whiskies.
- Travel Insurance
- Drinks
- Gratuities
SYNOPSIS
Great heather slopes; grassy gulleys opening on glimmering lochs like tiny oceans, with rocky headlands and bays and solitary trees; clean light, mountains, white cloud against blue and far away mysterious outlines; life starting away from the feet, mosses, a strange flower, a bird that disappears before one quite sees it. Let us say here and now that the utmost one can do with a feeling is experience it. The experience is the thing, not any analysis of it.
We are based at Ardvreck House on the outskirts of Ullapool which overlooks, Loch Broom, An Teallach and the Summer Isles. Locations have been carefully selected to provide photographers with the opportunity to capture the character of this north-west corner which remains my favourite part of Scotland.
TRIP ITINERARY
The itinerary may be subject to change to suit weather conditions on the day.
Day 1 – Inverness, Torridon, Ullapool
Colin will meet you underneath the main display board in the arrival hall at Inverness Railway Station at 0830 on Wednesday. On the final day of the workshop, we will return you to Inverness Railway Station at 1500, allowing clients to connect with rail services south. After the group has assembled, we will drive to Kinlochewe and spend the morning in Glen Torridon. Following lunch, we will drive to a location where Slioch rises from the north shore of Loch Maree, behind stands of ancient Scots pine. Our departure for Ullapool will follow the coast road through Gairloch and Poolewe, to arrive at Ardvrek House around 1715.
Day 2 – Bay of Clachtoll and Point of Stoer
After breakfast, we will head north along Loch Assynt to the Bay of Clachtoll, stopping at various locations. The crescent shaped bay gives way to a rocky foreshore that runs out to a white sand beach. At low tide, deep rock pools reveal a microcosm of marine life that often trigger childhood memories. Our second location takes us to Stoer Head Lighthouse where a short walk across the moorland, gives superb views back towards the seacliffs and lighthouse. If weather permits, we will continue out to the Old Man of Stoer – an impressive 60 m (200 ft) sandstone sea stack. On our return journey, we will stop at a high-point overlooking the mountains of Assynt – Canisp, Suilven, Cul Mor, Cul Beag, Stac Pollaidh and Ben Mor Coigach can all be seen, linearly, on the horizon.
Day 3 – Garvie Bay and Lochinver
After breakfast, we will watch a tutorial designed to improve your photographic skills, after which we will depart for secluded bay in Coigach. A moorland walk takes us to a headland where Suilven creates the perfect backdrop. We return to the vehicle and follow the coast road to Lochinver, stopping en route, to capture the lochans and mountains of the Assynt landscape – Suilven, Cul Mor and Cul Beag.
Day 4 – Achnahaird Bay
Our journey today will take us down the Achiltibuie road to Achnahiard Bay where we will follow a moorland path along the cliff tops which overlooks Enard Bay. From an elevated viewpoint, the mountains of Assynt and Coigach stretch out in a panorama in what is one of the most inspiring views in Scotland – from Suilven in the west, through Stac Pollaidh to Ben Mor Coigach in the south. We will return to Ardvrek House around 1500 to prepare for the group critique.
Day 5 – Dundonnell
After breakfast we will check out of Ardvreck House and drive to Dundonnell. Here, if conditions permit, there is the opportunity to climb to a high point which overlooks An Teallach. Alternatively, there are wooded areas that follow the course of the River Dundonnell falling in a series of waterfalls to its estuary at Little Loch Broom. Following lunch at 1300, we will depart for Inverness Station and arrive at 1445 where the workshop will conclude.
RECOMMENDED PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
The ability to respond to Scotland’s changeable weather with appropriate clothing will enrich your enjoyment of the tour. Bring comfortable clothing, which will maintain your body temperature under a variety of weather conditions.
If you are susceptible to the cold, a down or insulated jacket is recommended.
- 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
PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT
The information below is intended as a guide to help you achieve the most from this workshop.
All brands of cameras and lenses do exactly the same thing; they look outwardly into the world and record what they see on different sized sensors. The only thing that differentiates what they see is not the camera but the person looking through the viewfinder. So, what will help you gain most from this workshop is a familiarity of your own camera’s layout and menu structure and an understanding of the relationship between shutter speed, aperture and ISO.
Consider a camera bag that is comfortable and which allows you carry your equipment over uneven terrain. Backpacks distribute the weight evenly between your shoulders and hips and are normally supplied with a rain cover.
Lenses are very much a personal choice and will be influenced by the subjects which you, as a photographer, pursue. For many outdoor photographers, the combination of two lenses – either a 24-70mm or 24-105mm and a 100-400mm provides them with the ability to shoot from 24-400mm with just two lenses. If working within the landscape is something that appeals to you, then a 90mm or 100mm Macro lens opens up myriad possibilities.
Under certain circumstances, filters are indispensable. Graduated neutral density filters control contrast locally and come in a range densities and graduations. I use, almost exclusively, a 0.6 (2 stop) filter with a soft graduation. A polarising filter is also extremely useful for a number of scenarios and worthwhile having in your camera bag.
A tripod is essential for landscape photography. The emphasis should be on a relatively lightweight model which is easy to carry. The disadvantage of a lightweight tripod is that it is more vulnerable in high winds to both camera shake and to the risk of being blown over. 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 below this height. 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. A laptop or iPad is ideal and will allow you to see what you have shot each day and will facilitate feedback.
A remote release is essential. Whether it is a cable, IR device or a phone app it will ensure sharp photographs.
Spare batteries – batteries can be re-charged as required, however it makes sense to bring spares.
Lens cloth – a lens cloth is useful for removing rain or sea spray if it finds its way onto a lens.
BOOKING CONDITIONS
To confirm your booking, you are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of 25% of the trip 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.
INSURANCE
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 of the money you have paid.
- All luggage and personal equipment are, at all times, 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 inculde:
However, we recommend you do your own research to find the best provider for you.
INVERNESS ACCOMMODATION
A list of Inverness hotels and guest houses can be found here:
MEETING INSTRUCTIONS
Colin will meet you underneath the main display board in the arrival hall at Inverness Railway Station at 0830 on Wednesday.
At the end of the workshop on Sunday, we will return you to Inverness Railway Station at 1500.
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
We recognise that you may have questions regarding the impact of Coronavirus COVID-19 with regards to existing and future bookings with us. As this is a dynamic situation, we do not intend to publish all the facts here but rather to give you the direct links where you can read more about the situation from primary sources, rather than via mainstream media.
The UK Government guidance and latest information on COVID-19
(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice)
For detailed FAQ please visit this World Health Organisation page.
There are no travel restrictions to or within Scotland and our trips will run as planned.
As we always do, we strongly encourage you to take out travel insurance that will provide adequate cover in case your plans change for any reason.
Once you have booked a trip with us, our terms and conditions apply for any cancellation or postponement of your trip. You can view our booking conditions here:
If any restrictions were put in place by Government, the impact of this is likely to be covered by your travel insurance policy, however, you should check this with your provider. Insurance does not usually cover “disinclination to travel” where Government does not advise against travel. You may be able to pay a premium for cancellation for any reason but you must speak to your insurance company about this. It is your responsibility to make sure your travel insurance provides adequate cover.