- Spend five days in the Highlands developing your photography with Colin Prior.
- Photograph the colours of the autumnal landscape at their very best
- Shoot in some of the finest photographic locations in Assynt and Coigach
- Discover new ways of finding photographs in the landscape
- 4 nights accommodation in a charming guesthouse in the small fishing village of Ullapool. Each client will have their own single room, unless a twin or double room is requested.
- Most meals during the trip (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- All transport throughout the trip, in a spacious people carrier, starting and finishing in Inverness
- The services of Colin Prior, who will work closely with each group member throughout the holiday, helping you develop your photographic skills.
Green Graded Photography Holidays 1-3
Our Green graded photography trips are suitable for people who enjoy outdoor photography and easy hiking, and have a reasonable level of fitness. We will be accessing wild locations to photograph so you should be comfortable hiking for up to 3 hours at a time. Our Knoydart trip utilises a private launch and dinghy to access some remote locations so for this trip you must be also be comfortable getting in and out of the dinghy.
The terrain will be mostly good paths and hill trails but these can still be muddy and rough in places. Some hikes may involve an ascent up to a max of approx 1,500 feet / 450m. The days are fairly leisurely and we spend about 6-8 hours outdoors. Out timetable will be flexible however, so we may head out early for a few hours before taking a break and going out again in the evening to take advantage of the best light.
Our photography trips are not graded by your degree of photography skill – a small group size means you will have lots of time for one-to-one tuition regardless of your starting level.
Accommodation
In Assynt, we will stay at a locally owned 4-star guest house located at the edge of the picturesque village of Ullapool. All clients are allocated a single, en-suite, room unless a double or twin room is requested.
Food
Freshly prepared, locally sourced meals are taken in a range of local restaurants. Meals are a real highlight of this trip, with freshly caught seafood a particular specialty. Naturally any special dietary requirements can be catered for.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
You will be met by Colin Prior at the fixed seating area in the centre of Inverness Railway Station at 08:30 on Day 1 of your trip. The London Sleeper arrives at 0830 and if you are on this please let us know in advance. Inverness is a small railway station so it will be easy to identify Colin. For full details on how to get to Inverness, please see our website: Recommended Travel.
For advice on getting to and from Scotland please our travel advice page on our website:
www.wildernessscotland.com/faq/travel-to-scotland/
Trip Details
The landscape of the Assynt and Coigach is unique. Its defining quality could be described as ‘ancient’ with the underlying rocks billions of years old.
The light found in the north-west Highlands is amongst the finest in the world and combined with the superb graphics offered by the mountains, photographers have the potential to capture rare moments which will never repeat themselves exactly.
Colin Prior’s photographic knowledge of the Highlands and Islands is second to none – and this region is one of his absolute favourites.
What’s Included in this photography holiday:
- 4 nights accommodation in a comfortable small hotel
- Most meals
- The services of a Wilderness Scotland walking guide throughout
- All transport during the trip, starting and finishing in Inverness
- If you don’t think that this is the right walking holiday for you, you can view our trip trips on this link: Walking Holidays in Scotland
Trip Itinerary
Day 1 – Photographing Assynt
We meet at Inverness Railway Station at and transfer north through spectacular Highland scenery. We will assess weather conditions, and if suitable, we will drive to Torridon to photograph Liathach from Loch Clair. Later we will head over to Loch Maree where Slioch rises from behind stands of Scots pine. Stopping in Poolewe and Laide, we will arrive at our accommodation in Ullapool where there will be time to settle in before dinner. (D)
Day 2 – Clachtoll and the Old Man of Stoer
Today we will drive north to Clachtoll where the combination of white sandy beaches and beautifully marked boulders of Torridonian sandstone and Lewisian Gneiss co-exist. These are the building blocks of the north-west Highlands. After lunch we will head for the lighthouse at the Point of Stoer and will make a short moorland walk out to the Old Man of Stoer. On our return we will stop at a high-point which overlooks the mountains of Assynt and Coigach – Canisp, Suilven, Cul Mor, Cul Beag, Stac Pollaidh and Ben Mor Coigach can all be seen linearly on the horizon. (B, L, D)
Day 3 – Stac Pollaidh and the Assynt Wilderness
A pre-dawn departure to climb to the summit of Stac Pollaidh. The ascent up the excellent path takes approximately one hour and the views from the top over Loch Sionascaig to Suilven and Cul Mor are spectacular. With sunrise at around 0730, this is one of the best times of the year to shoot from the summit of Stac Pollaidh where the colours are often spectacular. We will return for breakfast at 1030 and in the afternoon depart for a moorland walk to a secluded beach where a variety of photographic subjects can be found. (B, L, D)
Day 4 – Achnhaird Bay and Achiltibuie
After breakfast we depart for Achnahaird Bay where we will follow a path along the cliff-tops which overlooks Enard Bay. Here the views across the sea towards the mountains of Inverpolly create an unusual juxtaposition. After lunch we will head to Achiltibuie where we can shoot the late evening sun over the Summer Isles before retiring to the Summer Isles Hotel for refreshments. (B, L, D)
Day 5 – Corrieshalloch Gorge and depart
On our final morning we will explore the area around Corrieshalloch Gorge where the river has carved a spectacular mile-long box canyon through hard metamorphic rock. It is an exhilarating experience looking down on the torrent of water that plunges 46m (150ft) over the Falls of Measach from the gently swaying suspension bridge. Continuing our journey south, we will work around the River Glascarnoch where the lichen covered boulders create great photographic opportunities. A 1400 departure will permit an arrival at Inverness Station around 1530 where the trip will conclude. (B, L)
Prices and Dates
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Trip Reviews
Every client receives a feedback survey when they return from their guided, self guided or tailor made holiday with us.
Once completed the review is published on our website just as soon as our database updates. The little touches and details are important to us and where issues are raised we make positive changes to our trips to improve your experience.
That's why we read each of our client's reviews and although we don't respond to all of them, if it's glowing feedback then we get the satisfaction of helping to make your holidays truly memorable.
by Philip O'Loughlin 16/05/2018
Pre-Trip Service
A little more personal
Trip Comments
The weather
Your Guide
Colin Prior is the king of the hills!
The Bottom Line
Good but a little pricey
by Simon Williams 09/05/2018
Trip Comments
The trip delivered what had been promised (within the constraints of the weather) and I was able to do and achieve all I had hoped to.
Accommodation and Food
Some rooms had great views others, including mine didn't - it seemed a random allocation- perhaps an additional premium for a room with a view could be considered?
Your Guide
Colin had to work extra hard in the unpredictable conditions and succeeded in still delivering a great all-round experience
The Bottom Line
A thoroughly professional trip in the most amazing place in the UK.
by Theresa Murphy 08/11/2017
Pre-Trip Service
All went smoothly.
Trip Comments
The pre-trip material described a green hike as - mostly good paths and hill trails but these can still be muddy and rough in places. - Now that we have been there and back I can say they were mostly muddy, wet and rough but if we knew that before we went we would never have booked. We were wet and tired and as happy as two people could be. Justin insisted on carrying my pack on one hike and I will forever be eternally grateful. Also, the van we rode around in was extremely comfortable.
Accommodation and Food
Our room was large with a view of the Loch Broome. The long shelf in the bathroom held everything you needed for easy quick prep for the day. Breakfast was very good as were the packed lunches and dinners in town.
Your Guide
Colin and Justin knew all there was to know about the locations we visited. They considered the weather and any factors to make sure everyone was comfortable. I will always consider Justin my very own guardian angel.
The Bottom Line
We had never gone on a trip like this and have to say it was an excellent experience. When we met on Wednesday morning we were strangers and by our departure on Sunday we were truly friends. We can say we had a fabulous time surrounded by the Scottish Highlands and our like-minded companions even if we were dog tired and our socks were wet.
