Moonrise We arrived at Loch Maree in darkness, pulling into our usual spot beside the shore in an inconspicuous layby. The engine gave way to quietness; the headlights to darkness. From that moment a deep contentment rose in me. We were away at last. We were back at last. At home in a wild place.Continue reading “An Equinox Adventure: Golden Hour Photography at Stunning Loch Maree”
Category Archives: Long Form
The Great Inversion, Part Four: The White Goddess
Day Four: Tuesday 21st December Every great day of photography begins with a plan, a rough prediction of what weather and light might look like, which gives rise to an idea for a photo. Frequently this idea goes out the window as soon as you get outside and compare your prediction to reality, but forContinue reading “The Great Inversion, Part Four: The White Goddess”
The Great Inversion, Part Three: The Edge of Beauty
Day Three: Monday 20th December Scout and I returned to Whitewell in the early morning, not long after sunrise. Once again we ran from the van to the birch trees at the crest of the hill. The thick mist in Aviemore had fooled me; I had assumed it would be much the same here –Continue reading “The Great Inversion, Part Three: The Edge of Beauty”
The Great Inversion, Part Two: Shadow of the Mountain
Day Two: Sunday 19th December The second day of the Great Inversion was Saturday 18th, but since I had to drive south to get my booster shot I wasn’t able to spend much time outdoors. Besides this, I also wanted to write Friday’s account of the mountain. I felt absolutely filled up by that experience,Continue reading “The Great Inversion, Part Two: Shadow of the Mountain”
The Great Inversion, Part One: The Scallywag and the Pilgrim
Day One: Friday 17th December I only happened to glance at my phone, on Thursday night, when I saw the synoptic chart that had just been published by the Mountain Weather Information Service. There were those magic words: fog in valleys. A temperature inversion was predicted. As soon as I knew that, not going toContinue reading “The Great Inversion, Part One: The Scallywag and the Pilgrim”
My Perfect Night Out – Cairngorm Solstice
A certain euphoria came over me as I dashed back and forth. This was living. My heart was bursting with the joy of the mountain. My lungs breathed the clarity of the air. My blood flowed with the purity of the water that flowed and pooled in the rocks. My eyes sparkled with richness of the morning light. My body felt the coldness of the wind and stone, but met it with its own life and warmth. A part of everything. Not apart from it.
Sunset on Cairngorm
I needed a moment to pause as I took in the ridge that I was about to climb. ‘Oh boy. Here we go.’ Sometimes I think it would be nice if these mountains would just stay the same size for once. But they seem to grow and they shrink. Tonight the ridge seems long. ‘NoContinue reading “Sunset on Cairngorm”
Come Further Up, Come Further In
“Over the garden fence, behind the railway and the cherry trees, the Cairngorms are waiting. They should be more than a mere background to life.”
Deer Eyes
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”“The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.” John Muir A young deer was looking at me. I held the gaze of its dark and shiny eyes, its long eyelashes and dark snout. IContinue reading “Deer Eyes”