Highland Odyssey

IN ASSOCIATION WITH JOHN MUIR TRUST

John Muir Trust members are offered a 5% discount on this tour and, for every member that books, Northshots will also donate 5% of the price of the tour to the trust.  Simply enter the discount code provided by JMT where prompted on the online booking form.

As the birch woods of Strathspey turn to brilliant gold and the high tops are dusted with the first snowfall of late autumn, the Cairngorms National Park becomes a nature photographer’s paradise. Ethereal mists cloak mirror-calm lochs and ancient Scots pines, withered over three or more centuries, stand sentinel silhouetted against fiery sunsets. At this time of the year, the Scottish Highlands is a landscape of captivating beauty, enhanced by clarity of light unique in the UK.

The first part of our Highland exploration will include visits to primeval pine forests; hidden glens rich in autumnal colour; sweeping heather moorlands and rugged mountain scenery. From our base in Glenfeshie we will take full advantage of the wonderful natural tapestry of landscapes right on our doorstep. But The Cairngorms is only the start of our adventure. From our first base, we will wind our way north to the rugged drama of Assynt with its brooding mountain ranges, iconic geological features and wide windswept beaches. Gone are the forests and hidden lochans of the Cairngorms, Assynt is wilder, more demanding but ultimately, just as rewarding.

Travelling west we reach the third in our trio of iconic landscape locations – the famous Isle of Skye. Cascading rivers, jagged mountains and must-see landmarks such as The Old Man of Storr and Elgol beach, make Skye an unmissable element of our feast of the finest landscapes Scotland has to offer.

Our aim throughout this tour is not only to capture the classic scenic splendour of all three areas, but also to be artistically creative and to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. We shall explore patterns, shapes and textures and look at the creative use of lighting and composition. Our outlook will remain flexible so that we can react to conditions as they arise, taking account of the weather, light and time of day.