Scotland in late March

[randy_redford1]

I have the chance to take my 8x10 to either the Scottish

Highlands or to Ireland in late March/early April for a little over a

week. Am mainly interested in landscapes and ruins. I have

been to Ireland during that time but have never made it to

Scotland. Was wondering what some locations would be and

what the driving conditions would be that time of the year.

Thanks for any advice.

 

Randy

[richard_trochlil]

I was there in late March about five years ago. The good news is that there is very little traffic so driving on the left is not a continous panic. In Ireland, it will be.

 

We stayed at B&B's, found just enough open to be not a bother to find, although most were closed. We drove (!) from Edinbugh to the Isle of Seil where we had friends (the old stone bridge connecting the mainland to Seil and the estuary it crosses over is as scenic as it comes, genuine fishing boats etc) and then to the Isle of Skye. There we drove from Portree down to Dunvegan and back through Roskill. If the weather was right, you could burn up gobs of film just along that road. We then came back around Loch Ness and scuttled back to Edinburgh in front of a blizzard that shut down No. Scotland for several days.

 

I just had a folding Ikonta roll film camera with me, but there surely were plenty of opportunities if you were into scenics and small waterfalls. The snow covered mountains were spectacular. And the wildflowers were out too in the valleys. And their red deer stood around like our range cattle.

 

Somewhere between Inverness and Edinburgh on Hiway #9, there is a village called "Avemore". Just outside a few miles is "Loch en Eilein." There is a crumbling castle in the lake, snow covered mts in the background when we were there, the contract ducks came out when they saw my camera and paddled around the castle ruins etc. I burned up a roll on the varous vistas available.

 

Your big problem will be erratic weather. Their snowstorms can be vicious and I don't remember getting much warning for the one we were fleeing from.

 

I am green with envy. I have gone past the age where they will rent me a car in a 'left hand' country, so I guess my "cruising for snaps" days are gone on those places.

[wim_van_velzen]

Hi Randy,

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Although I have never been in Scotland in March, you might get some inspiration out of my <a href="http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl/landscape.htm#scotland">Scotland folders</a> on my site.

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There is an abundance of castles, ruined churches and derelict cottages.

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If I were you, I would opt for one place and stay there. Nice options are the isles of Skye or Mull. The peninsula of Ardnamurchan has good sites as well, with some forests for extra flavours.

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Enjoy!

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<a href="http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl">Wim</a>

[mark_blackman1]

Randy,

Scotland, like Ireland, has a very varied landscape for a (relatively) small country. I suggest you do some research to try and scope out your photo opportunities. sort out a route, then start using the web to finf out wwhat each area is like (ask on here as well!)

 

I know myself that it can be incredibly frustrating passing opportunities for shots, it's soo tempting to try and do them all, but as we all know LF does not lend itself to such point-and-shoot and all you end up with is a series of disapointments. Pick your locations out in advance and treat any others as bonuses.

 

As to weather, it will be changable! March can be warm and sunnuy, or cold, wet and windy, be prepared and don't forget to protect your kit from the damp.

Scotland enjoys a different legal system to the rest of the UK, but I'm sure the sitution on photography is the same - you can take a picture of anything if you are on a public place: road, path etc. If you do come up against any problems a smile and an apology will go a long way

[colin carron]

Good advice above especially about doing research before you go.

 

About the driving - the trickiest bit I found (as a UK resident on a recent trip to Italy) was that the car had the gear shift and several other controls on the 'wrong' side. I suggest you get an automatic. You should soon get used to driving but watch out when you first set out in the morning!

 

have a good trip!

 

Colin

[richard_trochlil]

re: autos

I asked for a med size with auto trans. Turned out they had only one and it was out. So I was upgraded, no charge, to the most monstrous Mercedes that they had. And Scots roads are narrow. And the snow filled the ditches so you could not tell where the road edge ended and the ditch began. The fact there were several cars in the ditch along the way did not make for a tranquil mind. It was real fun.

 

The advice of picking one spot is good. I mentioned Seil, Skye and Avemore. Any would do.

[upscan]

Randy:

Glencoe has to be one of the most memorable sights in Scotland. Problem: you see it, you want to stop for pictures, sorry, nowhere to park. The roads shoulders are almost non-existent and the roads just wide enough that buses pass each other with just inches to spare. This situation seems to prevail everywhere in Scotland, once we had to cross a small one way bridge where our by Scottish standards "gigantic" Volvo had about 3 inches on either side. You think that was an anomaly but no, there was lots of traffic through that bridge and for all I know will stay that way until it falls down. It's great travelling in the US where as one approaches a lovely view you find that some appreciative person long ago agreed with you and provided parking just in case you want to stop. Not in

Scotland. I would have had to stop at the main tourist trap at Glencoe then walked for a mile or two to photograph it near the road because the road offered no place to stop. One German photographer photographed Glencoe with a Linhof 6X17 in two different lighting situations with amazing results. His book is about the only one from Scotland that I have seen that has what I thought was great photography. Yes, I went there but came back without one single picture of Glencoe. Ruins abound, lots every where, just ask the English. Lochs as well. Mountains are midling height and to make up for road parking inconveniences you can walk almost everywhere. From what I saw of postcards and calenders, photography in Scotland is an opportunity to explore afresh, away from the cliche stuff. It takes time and a good ulse on the wheel. Practice precision driving first and make sure your reflexes will be responsive to the right decisions in a crunch, or else, crunch! Enticing, yes? well, it is beautiful.

[wim_van_velzen]

You definitely should see Glencoe (and going from Edinburgh or Glasgow to the northwest, you will) - amazing place. There are some good parking facilities though. Just be prepared to drive relatively slow and watch out for a parking place.

 

Wim

[uk]

Randy,

there's lots of places to park in Glencoe, just nowhere with

enough room to get out of the car. :-)<div></div>

[peter_black1]

I don't know your preferred style (mono, colour, wide, panoramic, etc)but you should find something dramatic at that time of year. At least there will be no problems with heat haze!!! One particularly successful panoramic photographer who typically shoots "out of season" is Colin Prior, whose website on Scotland is <A HREF="http://www.earthgallery.net/cgi-bin/earthgallery.storefront/3fd2884c056bf3bc273fd85dac3906ea/Catalog/1001"> HERE </A> and should give you some places to mark on your map.<div></div>

[derek_laird]

Hi Randy, If you intend to bring along a 10-8 it sounds a if your pretty dedicated anyway! Scotland and Glencoe at that time of year is usually fantastic, the weather has normally settled down, but you cant bank on it! Only advice you need is to rise early in the morning especially in Glencoe to catch the light 'action' If you were based in the Kingshouse hotel for B+B (recommended)www.kingy.com.you can keep an eye on what going on with a good overview of the glen. As for the driving, just have to bear in mind that its a main road from Glasgow to Fort William, be very alert when pulling over for a fleeting shot This happens ALL the time! there is parking spaces, not all like USA pullouts butkeep your eyes peeled, and dont 'ditch' the car.So you can have a great morning shooting in the Glen, have breakfast, drive through the glen to the coast with very scenic castles at Appin, and further on to near Oban..Or further on on the road to the isles and Arisaig etc.be prepared for changable weather, bring grads, gloves, hats, ziplock bags, B/W, color, polarisers etc etc.just email for more info..you will love Scotland!!

[wim_van_velzen]

To the south of Glen Coe, there is a beautiful Glen: <a href="http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl/landscape-etive.htm">Glen Etive</a>. No through traffic here; an amazing example of the typical V-shaped glacier glens.

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<img src="http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl/images/letiv20030802-01.jpg" width="425" height="425" />

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<a href='http://www.fotografiewimvanvelzen.nl'>Wim</a>

[robert_lawrence]

Loch-an-Eilean nr Aviemore with Cairngorm mountains behind.<div></div>

[matt_turner]

Unfortunately the weather in Scotland in March is very unpredictable, ranging from

gales and cold to really bad weather. Comfortable days are rare that time of year,

regardless of where you travel. Generally speaking, the central highlands and east

coast are colder but drier. Scenery in the east is gorgeous but tame compared to the

rugged eye-popping beauty and of the West Highlands and Hebrides. There are

several glens in Angus that offer nice scenery and wonderful long walks, even in

March. The most popular are Glen Clova and Glen Prosen, but Glen Esk is a less well

known favorite of mine. The central highlands and east do have a large number of

well preserved Pictish standing stones and crosses, especially in Aberlemno,

Perthshire, and Aberdeenshire. If you get lucky, the daffodil crops in Angus will

bloom before April, and rolling hills filled with millions of daffodils can be stunning.

North of Aberdeen and along the coast of the Moray Firth to about Lossiemouth there

are a number of coastal villages of viking descent. The architecture and harbors are

really interesting and strikingly nordic as opposed to the celtic/british villages

elsewhere. Most of the famous and best preserved castles are also scattered

throughout the central highlands and east coast. But for the really beautiful stuff you

have to brave the west coast and the islands. The best ruins and some gorgeous

scenery can be found in the northern isles of the Orkneys. Getting there requires a

ferry rides from Thurso, near John O'Groats, the famous farthest point north on the

British mainland. The ferry ride takes you past incredible sea stacks. The Orkneys

are filled with giant standing stone circles and burial mounds and viking forts and a

stone age village that predates the pyramids of Egypt. Cool stuff. It is cold up there

in March though. The best Scottish scenery to be had is the west coast and the

islands. A lot of experienced people claim the most beautiful Scottish glen is Glen

Affic, to the west of Drumnadrochit and Loch Ness. Glen Coe is eerie and you have to

go through on a misty windy day to appreciate that cold-chill-down-your-spine

effect. The little port of Mallaig (pronounced MAL-ig) is wonderful. From the port you

look out across the sea to Skye and the gorgeous Cullins, Eigg, and Rhum. The drive

from Fort William to Mallaig is great in itself. You pass Glen Shiel, where Bonnie

Prince Charlie first raised his standard and began the last Jacobite uprising. There's a

nice monument there, along with a phenomenal railway bridge still used by a steam

locomotive, the Jacobean Railway. Skye is one of those fairy tale places you just have

to see to believe. When it rains, waterfalls pop up everywhere. There's a little bity

village on a peninsula in the middle of nowhere called Elgol. From Elgol you look

across a little sea loch to the Cuillins. From that little pier at Elgol the Cuillins seem

to just leap out of the water straight up to the sky. Weather permitting, there is a

small charter boat that will take you across the bay to the foot of the mountains to

drop you off to walk around for a hour before taking you back. Elgol is way out of the

way, but several guests we took all over the country remembered Elgol as the most

beautiful place and the boat ride as a highlight of the trip to Scotland. Mull is another

attractive island with lots of spots to visit. Many tour guides claim the Carsaig Arches

is the most beautiful beach walk in Great Britain. The isle of Iona, just off the coast of

Mull, is a historical treasure. On the Atlantic side of Iona are a famous sea spout

when the tide comes in, and some beaches covered with polished stones. Again,

weather permitting, there is a charter boat that runs from Iona to Staffa. Staffa is a

volcanic island with bizarre basaltic formations and a huge sea cave. Again, it's hard

to get to, but there is nothing else like it. The port of Tobermory on the north coast

of Mull is one of those quaint ports where every building is painted a different bright

color. The best way to enjoy Tobermory is to drive out the gorgeous Ardnamurchan

Peninsula and catch a tiny little ferry from Kilchoan that brings you into Tobermory

from the sea side. I hope I have not bored you, but I enjoyed reminiscing. I spent

three years stationed in Scotland with the navy and put 90,000 miles on my car going

every where I could. If I were going back just for the photography, these would be my

spots. Rob Loughrey and Duane Lee were our base photographers while I was in

Scotland, and they have both published a number of phtographs of Scottish scenery.

If you could track either of them down they might be of more technical help to you.

Enjoy your trip.

[matt_turner]

I just remembered this. There is a website called the "Edzell Connecition" where

servicemen who were stationed in Scotland still keep up with each other. You might

be able to track down some of the base photographers there, and a lot of these

people have kept close connections with Scottish friends and make frequent trips

back. There should be lots of advise on travel and also on finding ceilidhs and

festivals and the like, to really entertain you on your trip.

[fernando_mcsoto]

Having lived in Scotland for three years I can say Matt's description is one of the best that I have ever seen. One more comment concerning the legal situation in Scotland.

 

 

"Scotland enjoys a different legal system to the rest of the UK, but I'm sure the sitution on photography is the same" - No exactly true. Scottish law makes of Scotland the outdors paradise in the EU. There are no trespass and rights of ways in Scotish law. As far as I know this is unique of Scotland. You can roam and walk everywhere even in private property as long as you do not damage or disturb anyhting. If you disturb animals, hunting, crops, people or nature in general you can be kick out of the property. With the security paranoia we have there has been a lot of discussion about the pacific right of roaming recently. There was a recent proposal by the UK Government to introduce the crime of trespass in Scotish law when it comes to security of government and Queen's property, but the Scottish Parliament decided that the current legal situation was sufficient to gurarantee security and has kept the right to roam without any right of way. The new outdoors code negotiated between the Scottish Parliament and the outdoors asociations has consacrated the right to roam, but demands a very high standard of respect for pacific roamers. That is a huge responsability on anybody to make sure that we do not damage or disturb anything when we roam outdoors. For instance it is common to give a call to the national hunting number to make sure that we do not disturb the anual hunting period of the region. There is a lot easy to find brief info explaining the Scotish outdoors code in the web. Now that I live in Belgium and I realise how wonderful was Scottish law. In Belgium you cannot trespass anything. You cannot cross private property. Basicaly you can only walk on roads and paths that are State owned of have a right of way. The owner consider their land as their house

 

 

 

Finally, regarding taking pictures of people the situation has recently change in Scotland to protect the image of children. A new Act of 2005 of the Scottish Parliament obliged my camera club to take all the pictures of under 18 from the website. Basic principle is that you can take pictures of anybody WITHOUT their consent if you are in a public place, but you can never take pictures of children. You can only publish pictures of those who have given their consent or for general information purposes. Under no circumstance you are allowed to publish pictures of children, even if they are your own family. There is an exception for some type of publicity where images of children are absolutely necessary.