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    David Russell

    David Russell

    Long walks | Bad jokes | Eating Brownies

    Mini Bio

    I have been involved in the outdoors for the entirety of my professional working life so far. I became involved in mountain and water sports at university and decided after graduating that a city life was not for me! I moved to the Highlands, trained as an outdoor instructor and settled down in the Cairngorms National Park. In 2011 I gained the Mountain Leader qualification. I began leading trips with Wilderness Scotland in 2012, and have guided on walking and paddling trips since then, but have always specialised as a photography guide. In 2014 I took a full time role in the Wilderness Scotland office team but still head up the guiding for many of our photography trips.

    My own work features mainly mountain and forest images, and I love sharing these special places with our travellers and helping them get the most out of their experience and their camera. In my own time I still get out regularly on the hills and lochs with my camera and especially love making more committing trips into wild places such as the Cairngorm mountains, camping overnight to be in the right place for spectacular sunrises. A few of my shots have enjoyed some modest successes in competitions and various publications

    I firmly believe that you don’t need anything special in terms of camera equipment to get the best out of Scotland’s beauty. What you do need is a reverential love of wild places, a great deal of patience and a willingness to listen to what nature tells you. With this attitude you’ll have the chance to see some truly amazing sights.

    Not a lot of People Know This

    Cairngorms National Park. It has it all – mountains, rivers, forests, community. The longer I live here the more and more I love it.

    Qualifications Read More
    • Summer Mountain Leader
    • BCU UKCC Level 2 Paddlesports Instructor, 4-star white water leader
    • Whitewater Rescue Technician
    • WEMSI First Responder
    • Single Pitch Award
    • Physics Degree
    Experience Read More

    10 years experience as an outdoor activities instructor and guide teaching a wide range of outdoor activities and photography throughout the Highlands of Scotland.

    Biggest Adventure Read More

    I have made several trips to the far north of Scandinavia, journeying through the arctic mountains of Sápmi on foot. This is still a really wild and sparsely populated region where you are really remote and can find yourself a week away from the nearest road. Self-reliance and a good sense of humour are a must! The rewards that follow are deep and long-lasting.

    Specialist Subject Read More

    I’m interested in a broad range of physical subjects such as cosmology, history, geology, flora and fauna. However, I’m also keen on how nature and landscape influence us as humans and shape our language, culture, art and literature. I’m good for a poem about the hills, and a talk about the stars, but am probably best known as a landscape photographer looking to make a connection to the natural world.

    Publications Read More

    I’ve self-published a number of photography books and had images of Scotland published in a few national magazines. I also have my own photography website where you can find a full portfolio of images, writing and nature poetry by yours truly. www.highlandwildscapes.com

    What Fellow Travellers Say About David

    As stated earlier David was great! Couldn’t have asked for a better guide.

    Michael Johnson
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 07/10/2024

    David Russell is knowledgeable, shares information and stories do well. It was a delight to have him as guide.

    Penny Dutton
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 02/10/2024

    David was fantastic. His knowledge and tales were much appreciated as well as his love and enthusiasm for that part of Scotland. He was very friendly as well.

    Irene McNair
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 02/10/2024

    David is a true gem! He knows so much about the environment in which we were hiking and had so many interesting stories! A lovely down to earth man whose passion for hiking and sharing his knowledge shone through!

    Wendy Brown
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 02/10/2024

    I have to imagine that David is one of your best because that was the impression I continued to receive of him day after day. He was extremely generous with his time and attention, ensuring that everyone had the chance to talk to him one-on-one each day. His energy each day was next-level—he would always greet us with a smile in the mornings and engage us with entertaining personal anecdotes, captivating lore, history lessons, and interesting facts. He was incredibly caring, consistently checking on each of us during our hikes. He had great plans for us each day and it was easy to see how deeply he cares for this work and how he wants to share it with others. David is an extraordinary guide, leader, and expert of his craft. I would recommend one of his trips to anyone and everyone!

    Mackenzie Drolshagen
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 02/10/2024

    Top class. Good to have another member of your team, Amanda, along also.

    Keith German
    Wildlife Adventures - Mull, Staffa & Iona
    Reviewed on 08/06/2024

    See previous comment…David was great guide for this trip.

    Will Graham
    Wildlife Adventures - Mull, Staffa & Iona
    Reviewed on 03/06/2024

    David was the best.

    Kate Dietrick
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 26/10/2023

    I cannot imagine there exists a better guide than David.

    Anna-Liisa Kurve
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 21/10/2023

    David was an excellent guide in every respect, and a very safe driver of the minibus.
    We very much liked his stories about Scotland.

    Richard Buxton
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 21/10/2023

    David did a great job. His knowledge of geology, forestry, and the flora and fauna of the region helped us understand the beautiful scenery that we were experiencing. Thanks to him I now know what and tardigrade is! He also shared with us the rich history of the Scottish people and their folklore. His love for the Scottish people and the beautiful country was evident. He even sang to us in Gaelic as we took in the views of Glen Affric (a trip highlight!) He shared not only his knowledge, but himself.

    When one of our scheduled hikes had to be nixed due to forestry work on the trail, David quickly came up with an alternate hike that was one of favorites for the trip!

    He was a patient guide, always making sure that the group stayed together (waiting at times for those of us who were stragglers). Our safety was important, and he was always confidently in control.

    If we were to take another trip, we would definitely seek one that had David as the guide, he was one of the main reasons for our enjoyment of this trip.

    Mark Keyse
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 21/10/2023

    As I mentioned previously, David is a great hiking guide and a wonderful human being. He taught us some history, shared some poetry, was knowledgable about the local flora, and he even sang us a song in gaelic!
    He was very helpful to me. At one point he noticed I was limping and asked if I had a boot issue. I said yes, and he suggested a way to tie the laces which took the pressure off the area of my foot that was hurting. It really helped.
    He also suggested ways that I could better navigate the stones, heather, puddles, mud. That also helped, and I learned techniques that I will use on my local hikes here on Cape Cod.

    Kathleen Caldara
    Wilderness Walking - Isle of Skye
    Reviewed on 13/10/2023

    David did a wonderful job accommodating for the entire group. He felt out how we were feeling and was reevaluating as we made our way through the day.

    Ashley Brown
    Wilderness Walking - Autumn Highlands
    Reviewed on 04/10/2023

    Incredible experience! Thank you David! You not only provided us with a thorough geological, historical, and cultural understanding of the Highlands, but adjusted the hikes based on the weather and our abilities.

    Max McGinnis
    Wilderness Walking - Isle of Skye
    Reviewed on 27/09/2023

    David was an outstanding guide in every way. He is kind, professional, very smart and he went above and beyond. He recited poetry, sang a Gaelic song, shared stories of Scottish history and taught us about the plants and geology. I enjoyed his company and became a more confident hiker, thanks to him!

    Janet McGinnis
    Wilderness Walking - Isle of Skye
    Reviewed on 27/09/2023

    David was an excellent guide. He was enthusiastic about providing us the best possible experience and his knowledge of the Isle of Skye was wide ranging, from geology to history and culture. He was also flexible and patient with the differing skill levels within the group.

    Leslie Giacomelli
    Wilderness Walking - Isle of Skye
    Reviewed on 26/09/2023

    David was very attentive and flexible with our itinerary to reflect the needs of the group.

    Fay Suitor
    Wilderness Walking - Isle of Skye
    Reviewed on 25/09/2023

    David was a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide. He was aware of different needs in the group and responded to those needs. The only hike that I was disappointed with was the day we went to Balmoral. It was average at best. Lots of gravel and more like a walk than a hike. With that being said, his ongoing narrative of place, natural beauty and his passion for Scotland shone through. I learned much more history than I anticipated. And of course the natural beauty was amazing and David knew so much about the plants, mountains and flowers.

    Clarissa King
    Wilderness Walking - Cairngorms National Park & Royal Deeside
    Reviewed on 18/08/2023

    David was very knowledgeable and passionate about the area and fun to spend time with. He was able to handle issues that came up along the way with different guests in a professional and fair manner. Would definitely enjoy having him as a guide on any Wilderness Scotland trip!

    Delyn Drake
    Wilderness Walking - Cairngorms National Park & Royal Deeside
    Reviewed on 14/08/2023

    The guide was very personable and knowledgeable about different aspects of the hike and region - history, literature, flora and fauna. He did an outstanding job. He had excellent interpersonal and specialist hiking skills and essential local knowledge. I would highly recommend him.

    Ann Thorogood-Waters
    Wilderness Walking - Cairngorms National Park & Royal Deeside
    Reviewed on 10/08/2023

    We could not of asked for a better guide. David is smart, eloquent, generous with his knowledge and I felt comfortable he’d take care of us all.

    Diana Estrada
    Wilderness Walking - Cairngorms National Park & Royal Deeside
    Reviewed on 07/08/2023

    Yes brilliant and Dave has good knowledge of Arran

    sheena melrose
    Wilderness Walking - Arran: Scotland in Miniature
    Reviewed on 23/05/2023

    Pretty much previously answered-- we all thought highly of Gill and all the attention
    she paid to our questions and any concerns. She was a constantly reassuring
    presence throughout our week, always looking for ways to help improve our
    experience, entertaining and informative.

    John P McKinnon
    Wilderness Walking - Isle of Skye
    Reviewed on 11/05/2023

    Jill knew so much interesting information and was always in tune to what fit the group. It would be hard to do better that seeing the Isle of Skye with Jill leading the way.

    Dirk Hampson
    Wilderness Walking - Isle of Skye
    Reviewed on 10/05/2023

    See above. David is an excellent guide. Full of interesting facts and enthusiastic about Scotland, and the flora and fauna. He clearly knew what he was doing, experienced in leading groups, and showed good judgment with one member of the party who had a minor injury. He is an outstanding representative of your company.

    Donald Scott
    Wildlife Adventures - Winter Wildlife
    Reviewed on 07/03/2023

    Tell David we cannot thank him enough for a trip of a lifetime! We very much appreciate the excellent level of guides you hire! Guides are an integral part of our trips. David provided wonderful education, identified what we were most interested in doing and seeing, and he laid out a daily plan to accomplish our trip goals. This was very much appreciated. His photography was a true gift and his photos are the very best reminder of our experience. He is joyful in his enthusiasm which also lends to the understanding of what a great opportunity this trip provided to see and learn new things.

    Patricia (Patsy) Samuel
    22WSPD Private Departure
    Reviewed on 02/08/2022

    See my earlier comment. David was intuitive about his "followers" and very knowledgeable about the geology, flora, and fauna of the Highlands. He was a fine driver and an excellent planner. A+!

    Jill Geisler
    Wilderness Walking - Outer Hebrides & Skye
    Reviewed on 15/05/2022

    David is a wonderful guide.

    Mary McLennan
    Wilderness Walking - Outer Hebrides & Skye
    Reviewed on 13/05/2022

    David Russell was great! A excellent guide in every way. He homed in quickly to each of us and was very mindful. He was an excellent driver, everything ran smoothly. We were unaware often of different things he had had to sort and arrange. He was very encouraging when the going got tough for some of us and stayed close when we needed help. He was fun too and coped well with all of us oldies!! I would enjoy doing another trip with him.

    Nick Russell
    Wilderness Walking - Outer Hebrides & Skye
    Reviewed on 10/05/2022

    David was a very efficient, knowledgeable and entertaining guide who took great care to include every member of the group in all we did, even provided amazing music on the journey, still waiting for the dancing though. Great driver and photographer.

    Maureen Mitchell
    Wilderness Walking - Outer Hebrides & Skye
    Reviewed on 10/05/2022

    David was an excellent knowledgeable guide. His expertise on the area provided a view of the land and people over the years. He was also helpful and encouraging as we traversed rocks, etc.

    Linda Cooper
    Wilderness Walking - Outer Hebrides & Skye
    Reviewed on 09/05/2022

    David was extremely knowledgeable but presented information in an entertaining manner, full of humour.
    He was extremely supportive and patient when the route was challenging for me.
    He was very flexible and constantly adapted his plans to suit the abilities of the group and the variable weather.

    Judy Snell
    Wilderness Walking - Outer Hebrides & Skye
    Reviewed on 09/05/2022

    Our guide Cube was so fabulous. He was attentive and took all our needs into consideration. With this being a photography trip he was great since he took us to places at the right time of day to get just the best lighting for my photographs. The spots he took us to were so perfect and I was extremely happy with everything he did for us.

    Jill Sneidman
    Wilderness Photography - Highland Landscapes Tour
    Reviewed on 13/05/2019

    Can't imagine it being better. See previous comments.

    Ledro Justice
    16WSTM Tailor Made trips
    Reviewed on 15/10/2016

    There can be no better guide than David Russell. Hope he is well. Great future ahead for him.

    Richard Gaston
    16WSTM Tailor Made trips
    Reviewed on 11/09/2016

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