Whether walking, climbing or taking photographs of Scotland and her landscape, many hours are spent crossing the vast expanse of heather and peat hags that make up the Scottish moorland. The peat dries out in the sun and splits, very often forming deep troughs in the land and exposing the remains of trees from the ancient Caledonian Forest. These troughs can sometimes be as deep as five or six feet and are invariably full of mud. The peat hags can be a nightmare to negotiate and I have often cursed this type of terrain and yet, have a love of it and feel at home in it. Although, on a day when the rain is coming at you horizontally and you are stumbling about, up to your knees in glaur, you may long for the comforts of a home which provides a bit more shelter.

The evening sun accentuates the colours of the moor in this photograph of Stac Pollaidh and Cul Mor. Sky and moor combine to give a feeling of space, space to be alone in, space to dream in, space to be at peace in.

The hills lie in the Inverpolly Nature Reserve in Assynt Sutherland which is a mecca for the walker and climber as well as the wild life enthusiast. If you are lucky you may witness someone who appreciates the bog holes of the moor. Stags love to roll around in them and rid themselves of the many little passengers they carry. The bleached wood of the exposed trees often providing a good scratching post to provide some relief.

I have spoken about this area elsewhere in the gallery but I make no apologies for mentioning again what a beautiful area it is. Well worth considering for a holiday and if you cannot explore on foot you will find plenty of nooks and crannies to explore in the car.

Get in touch with the Assynt Visitor Centre in Lochinver to learn much more of the area.