Photographs of the Isle of Skye. -One of the delights
for me as a photographer in trying to capture the Landscape
of Scotland, is being able to visit places like the Isle
of Skye and having the time to sit back and watch the
ever changing patterns of light on the hills and glens.
The sun, seemingly fighting the wind and clouds to land
its warming rays on the landscape. I remember this day
in Skye for that very reason, I could have exposed twenty
films on this photograph of the Storr in Skye and each
frame would have been different. The Isle of Skye is a
must for any visitor to Scotland, especially if they want
to photograph the Landscape of Scotland.
The Storr with its Old Man ( the distinctive pinnacle
on the horizon ) lies north of Portree on the Trotternish
penninsula of the Isle of Skye. The Vikings called the
Island "Skuyo" meaning the Cloud Island and
on my first visit to Skye as a young lad, I must say I
thought the name was a fairly accurate description. I
had come to see the Cuillin and was lucky to see the chimney
tops of Portree, but I have had many visits since and
never been disapointed. One visit in particular remains
with me. I was sent in 1976 by the newspaper I worked
for, to cover the funeral of Dame Flora MacLeod the 28th
Chief of Clan MacLeod . We flew by helicopter from Glasgow
and the pilot took us over the Cuillin as dawn was breaking,
a site which I will never forget. Another memory is standing
on top of the Inaccesible Pinnacle on the Cuillin Ridge,
the day was clear and sunny and the hills of Scotland
seemed to stretch before me, Ben Nevis at Fort William
was clearly visible, so on that particular day the Vikings
were well off the mark in their choice of name.
The Trotternish area is famous for its geological features,
the penninsula is covered with incredible rock formations,
two of the best examples being the Storr and the Quiraing.
Climb the Storr to see the area called the Sanctuary,
you will be amazed at the weird pinnacles including the
Old Man, which is around one hundred and fifty feet high.
On a day of mist you can imagine it to be a great setting
for a horror movie. Continue your journey North on the
peninsula and visit the ruins of Duntulm Castle or take
the road from Broraig to Uig and travel past the Quiraing,
better still park the car at the summit of the hill and
walk to see the "Table " of the Quiraing, another
great spot.
Skye is full of history and as you travel around the
Island, you will come across many Duns and Castles the
most famous of which is Dunvegan, but its the history
of the clearances and the fight back by the crofters in
the Battle of the Braes and at Glendale which interests
me much more. I will be adding more photographs of Skye
to the site in the future and just maybe, I will mention
the heroic crofters again. But the site is about the landscape
of Scotland and its the landscape of Skye which draws
me back time and time again.
Image produced from the Ordnance Survey
Get-a-map service.
Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance
Survey and Ordnance
Survey of Northern Ireland.
