Rocks on the shore on Iona
Rocks on the shore on Iona
We had a fantastic trip to Iona at the end of a recent trip to Mull. After torrential rain and floods during the week, and another bout of heavy snow on the mainland, Friday’s forecast looked hopeful, so we took off for the day, and caught the early ferry cross from Fionnphort. We were treated to a day of spring sunshine. It was wonderful to feel a bit of heat in the sun.
We walked around some of the island’s coastline, from the beach at the north end, to Camas Cuil an t-Saimh (the Bay at the Back of the Ocean) which is a huge beach on the west side of Iona. I loved the variety in the shoreline of each beach. The reds in this gneiss created another excuse for a photo!
The Isle of May
Boat trips in the Forth estuary
It’s surprising how a boat trip into the Forth estuary can take you into the wilds in a very short space of time. I went with friends from Australia on a boat trip to the Isle of May recently.We drove to Anstruther and went on the May Princess run by Anstruther Pleasure Cruises.
It’s hard to believe that Edinburgh is less than 30 miles away when you’re looking at views like this:
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Loch on the road to Elgol, Skye
On the road to Elgol, just past Cill Chriosd church (Kilchrist), there’s a reed-filled loch (Loch Cill Chriosd). It was a grey day when we were down there, but there was still plenty to photograph. One of the things I particularly liked was this knackered old fence.
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Sunset over Dun Caan on Raasay, Skye
Taken from Lower Breakish on Skye, looking towards Dun Caan on the island of Raasay – I love a good Scottish island sunset!
Tarskavaig beach on the isle of Skye
I was on a photography course on Skye recently, when we went on a day trip which included Tarskavaig beach. It was a cracking location to stop and take photos. This beach is lovely, and just around the corner there is a tiny disused church nestled down by the sea. Just over to the west, you can see the dramatic Cuillin Hills from the west coast of Sleat. Tarskavaig is on a loop road which starts at Kilbeg near Sabhal mor Ostaig, and loops round through Tarskavaig and Ord before rejoining the A851 just north of Teangue. .
Camasunary bothy on Skye
Camasunary bothy, Skye
I fell in love with this tiny wee bothy in such an enormous landscape. Camasunary is near Elgol on Skye, at the foot of Bla Bheinn, and right by the sea. Perfect!
Lismore Lighthouse
Lismore lighthouse is on the tiny Eilean Musdile, to the South West of Lismore, in the mouth of Loch Linnhe. The Mull ferry from Oban passes close by – the sun peeked out just long enough for a photo as we were passing.
Lismore
A brief moment of evening sunshine caught on the island of Lismore, on the West coast of Scotland
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Dusk on Lismore
There’s a wee abandoned croft at Sailean on the North side of Lismore, near the community hall. It’s a lovely spot for watching the sun go down.
Kilcheran Loch on Lismore
This is a cracking wee spot on Lismore on a hot day. The loch is right in the middle of the island, and easy to miss if you’re not looking out for it. It’s a great place for a swim, too.
Landscape photo from the Scottish island of Lismore
Stones on the shore of Lismore
There’s always something ibteresting to photograph while we’re waiting for the wee ferry to arrive from Port Appin. I love these colourful stones on the shore at the North of the island.
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Boreray rocks
…and I’m tempted to add ‘oh yes it does’.
This photo os from a trip to St Kilda earlier in the year. It’s an amazing experience to visit this remote archipelago. The islands’ history is completely fascinating. I did particularly enjoy the boat trip around the bottom of the stacks as we headed home.
Low mist over the summit of Boreray, St Kilda
Looking across the Strand, Colonsay
What a fantastic trip to Colonsay! I’ve been taking photos at the Ceol Cholasa festival. I’ve never been to Colonsay before, so have also enjoyed seeing some of the sights on the island, and taking some landscape photos.
The first day we were here, the sun was out so we had a Famous Five trip on bikes, and went down to the Strand at low tide and walked over to Oransay Priory.
The Strand was all reflective.
Low tide at the Strand, between Colonsay and Oronsay
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Highland sunshine
I love moments like this! After a ridiculously wet couple of days, there was a wee burst of evening sun over Morvern in the Scottish Highlands, and I was lucky to be out with the camera just at the right time to take this landscape shot.
Sunshine over Morvern in the Scottish Highlands
Taransay’s public transport system
A question I’ve been asked regularly about Taransay is “Where does the ferry go from?” One of the lovely things about this wee island in the Highlands is that there is no regular ferry service. It’s possible to find people who will take you across the Sound from Harris. Or you can BYOBoat.
There’s a small jetty at Paible. The beach on the South West of the island makes for a very attractive port!
The island transport – a quad bike and trailer – appeared a few years ago.
Sand dunes at Paible on Taransay in the Highlands of Scotland
Quad bike on Taransay in the Outer Hebrides
Memories
Well, with a topic like that suggested for this week’s gallery, I have to post just one more Taransay photo. It’s been 10 years of fantastic memories for me, and I’m sure many of the other folk who’ve been to the fiddle camp can reflect on many happy times too. But Taransay has had many more inhabitants over it’s history – it’s a place full of evidence of folk who have lived there, from the community who called it home for hundreds of years, to the Castaways who spent a year in the first reality TV show.
Now we’re waiting to find out if the new owner of the island will continue to rent out the 2 houses that have become a regular holiday venue for so many folk who have fallen in love with the island.
How can you capture those memories in a single photo? I’m not sure it’s possible, but I was aware during the fortnight I spent there this year that I felt extremely lucky to have had the chance to spend so much time on the island.
I was also aware that nothing lasts forever.
Detail of outbuilding behind Taransay’s farmhouse
Taransay fiddle camp – the 10th year
Photos from the Outer Hebrides
This year was the 10th Taransay Fiddle Camp. It’s been 10 years of great fun, food, frolics, friends and fiddling.
I seemed to spend most of the week fiddling with my camera 
It was a bit of a grey week this year, but the island is so beautiful, there’s always scope for finding something to photograph.
Looking north from Corran Raa to Harris
I love being able to potter around taking photos by the sea while fiddle tunes drift across the dunes.
The schoolhouse on Taransay
Evening sun on Harris
One of the main hubs of the camp is the marquee. In it’s time, it’s been a space for classes, sessions, dinners, ceilidhs, concerts, tune writing competitions, gaelic choir rehearsals, singing premieres, cabarets, young camper’s tents, the Taransay Inn….and even an impromptu venue for hanging up a bike.
The fiddle camp marquee on Taransay
And of course the sun didn’t stay hidden all week – as the camp was drawing to a close, the clouds started to recede.
Sun on the beach at Paible, Taransay
It seems impossible to find an adequate way to thank the many people who have put so much energy into not just making the camp happen, but also giving it such a special atmosphere - It’s been an amazing experience, and something I know I will never forget.
…and I was lucky enough this year to be able to stay on Taransay for a second week with a few friends. That turned into a photographic feast for me. More pictures coming soon!
St Kilda from the sea
On our way back from St Kilda, the boat took us round the stacks. Seeing the islands from water level was amazing!
Looking back towards Hirta and Soay from the boat, as we headed towards the stacks.
Gannets soaring over the remote island of Hirta, St Kilda, Scotland
I’ll be posting some more pictures tomorrow, taken from the bottom of the stacks.
St Kilda – Village bay
When we first arrived, the boat took us right into Village Bay on the main island of Hirta, the most sheltered part of St Kilda. It was a big relief to some of the folk on our boat to be out of the Atlantic swell!
Village bay, Hirta, Scotland
There’s a classic view from the hill behind the village – it’s easy to see why so many photographers who visit Hirta have taken a photo like this one.
Village Bay, Hirta, in the archipelago of St Kilda
Meandering through the village, the line of stone built houses dominates the view.
The row of houses in Village Bay, St Kilda
I climbed up the hill behind the bay, to take this shot looking back across the village. You can see plenty of cleits dotted over the hillside behind the houses – those St Kildan’s must have loved building things!
Looking over Village Bay on St Kilda
I climbed a bit further up the hill to take this shot, looking across the back of the village towards The Gap, and showing the top of Boreray in the distance. This photo gives a clear view of the long wall built round the village to keep the cattle and sheep out of the cultivated land around the houses.
Looking down on Village bay from the hills
The remote islands of St Kilda, Scotland
Photo from St Kilda, Scotland
I was lucky enough to be given a trip to St Kilda as present last year. I booked the trip for this summer, as I was already planning on being in the Western Isles for a fiddle camp. So it was a long wait….but very much worth it!
So several of us went over to St Kilda together a couple of weeks ago, and bizarrely landed on the island during the eye of a storm. We were treated to hot sun for most of the time we were there, and some fierce gales the night before and the night after we left.
I meandered over the hill at the back of village bay, and spent some time watching the sunlight on Gleann Mor. This photo is one I took on my mobile.
Gleann Mor on the island of Hirta, in the Scottish archipelago of St Kilda
Having just returned from 2 weeks firstly on Harris, then St Kilda and Taransay, I now have plenty of photos to sort through!
Lonesome sheep on Lismore
One wee sheep, perusing the Lismore sunset
Sheep on the horizon, on Lismore Island, Scotland
