Sligachan, Isle of Skye, Scotland, Spring
I have returned from my fifth visit to Skye.
I have returned from my fifth visit to Skye.
God damn I love that island so much.
What definitely helps, apart from the fantastic scenery, is that for entire week of our stay the weather and light conditions were fantastic.
All in all, I returned to Cumbria with 200+ RAW files of epicness. Where does one start?
For me, with one of my favourite places on Skye: Sligachan.
Sligachan is a small settlement on Skye’s eastern coast, somewhat halfway between two of Skye’s major population centres: Portree and Broadford. There’s not much at Sligachan apart from a hotel and a couple of houses. What it does offer is some of the finest views of the Black Cuillins and Red Cuillins on Skye.
In particular, there are a number of small rivers that run from the Cuillins towards Loch Sligachan, and the underlying geology has enabled some fantastic waterfalls. You’ve just gotta be prepared for some boggy hiking.
I’ve played around these waterfalls many a time, always seeking the “one” winning photo from this area. On this occasion, I’ve come closer than ever before of capturing that special photo from this magical place.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Pentax SMC 28mm F3.5 and Rokinon 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC prime lenses. RAW files developed in Lightroom, edited and finalised in Photoshop.
Sligachan, Isle of Skye, Scotland, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
On our first full day on Skye, we first enjoyed the Scorrybreac circular around Portree. Afterwards, we nipped south to visit Sligachan. Whilst Portree was relatively sunny, conditions at Sligachan were significantly different. Stormy skies and powerful freezing winds made for some awe-inspiring conditions. On this occasion this was the best image I could make on this brief visit, the Red Cuillins topped in snow with storm clouds brewing above.
Returning to Sligachan on another day presented a completely different story, with strong sun bursting through the passing, racing clouds. Our first port of call was getting under the Old Sligachan Bridge for a composition of the Black Cuillins.
Afterwards, we began the hike up alongside one of Sligachan’s many rivers, this one being the Allt Dearg Mòr (“Great Red River”). Numerous waterfalls can be found along the river, this one being one of the bigger ones. My ultra-wide 14mm lens was able to capture not only the entirety of the falls and the snow-capped Black Cuillins, but some of the Red Cuillins too.
Beyond the large waterfall, a wide series of falls presented a beautiful composition involving the Black Cuillins as the clouds sank over the mountains.
Getting closer to the falls as I dared, I faced directly towards the sun and attempted a composition of the falls with one of the Red Cuillins, Marsco (736 m/2,415 ft).
A 3-shot 28mm panorama stack from top to bottom enabled this composition of another waterfall with the snowy Black Cuillins darkening above.
Looking back down the river towards the Red Cuillins saw clearer skies. On the left, the wizard’s hat of a mountain is Glamaig (775 m/2,543 ft), catching the light on its smooth flanks. The other Red Cuillin in the distance is Beinn Dearg Mhòr (731 m/2,398 ft)
Back at the Old Bridge, a classic composition involving the bridge and Glamaig proved impossible to resist. In the late 1800s a Gurkha named Harkabir Tharpa scaled Glamaig, starting and finishing at sea level in the bar of the Sligachan Hotel, in 55 minutes. That’s nuts, especially considering most routes up the mountain involved a steep climb on loose scree.
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Trotternish Coast, Isle of Skye, Autumn
Most people focus on the Storr or the Quiraing when it comes to the Trotternish Peninsula.
For obvious reasons most people focus on the Storr or the Quiraing when it comes to the Isle of Skye’s Trotternish Peninsula.
But there is so much more to see.
South of the Quiraing and north of the Storr, there is a stretch of coast on the eastern side of the Trotternish peninsula that drops suddenly into the sea. Not only can one explore some fine cliffs and all the views that come with them, there’s also a surprising number of waterfalls along this section of the Trotternish coastline.
Just south of Staffin one can find the famous Kilt Rock, a cliff named for its patterned resemblance to Scottish kilts (Kilt Rock is made from columns of basalt rock, much like at the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland). A well-known viewing station here allows for a sheer perspective along the cliffs towards Kilt Rock, with a waterfall plunging straight into the sea too, known as Mealt Falls.
Further south of Kilt Rock there’s another series of waterfalls called Lealt Falls, which drop in two main stages from the Trotternish landslip. There are incredible views taking in both waterfalls with the otherworldly forms of the Storr high above in the distance.
Closer to the Storr, you can stop off at Upper Tote for ridiculous views all the way down the Sound of Raasay towards the Red Cuillins, too.
All in all, there’s so much to see around the Trotternish Peninsula alone.
All photos shot on a Fujifilm X-T2 with both my Samyang 35mm f/1.2 and Laowa 9mm f/2.8 lenses. I used a customised Pro Negative Standard film profile.
The clear photo to take at the Kilt Rock Viewing Station is looking north, which features Mealt Falls dropping straight into the sea with Kilt Rock in the distance. It is also, inevitably, busy with people. Instead I made my way to the view south, taking in the wonderful Bhaltos cliff formations.
South of Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls there’s another viewing platform, with ample parking, at Lealt Falls. The weather was extremely changeable that day, and I managed a 35mm shot of the upper waterfall with some brief sunlight on the land and the Trotternish landslip in the distance. The prominent peak featured is Sgùrr a’ Mhadaidh Ruaidh (pronounced SKOOR ah VAT-tee ROO-ah, meaning “Peak of the red fox”).
My lovely Lisabet, taking in the views around Lealt Falls, with some wonderful sandstone geology behind her.
A tighter composition of Lower Lealt Falls, the last of the Lealt Falls before merging into the sea.
And now a much wider composition, which manages to capture both of the Lealt Falls with the Trotternish landslip and Sgùrr a’ Mhadaidh Ruaidh in the distance. A squall was also closing in on the peaks and started to obscure them.
A panoramic view of the gorge that the Lealt Falls have cut, whilst a heavy storm drenches the peaks of the Trotternish landslip.
Later, we stopped off further south for this frankly ridiculous and wonderful vistan from Upper Tote, looking all the way down the Sound of Raasay towards the Red and Black Cuillins.
Elgol, Isle of Skye, Scotland
A trio of compositions from probably my favourite place on the Isle of Skye: Elgol.
A trio of compositions from probably my favourite place on the Isle of Skye: Elgol. Once you get down to the village’s seashore, your view north gives you almost unparalleled views of the Black Cuillins of Skye. More interesting coast awaits as you hike north, navigating a beach covered in rugby-ball boulders until you arrive at a fantasy-like shore of jenga-like rock stacks, raised geometric platforms, and weather-beaten slopes and scree.
Photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 with a Samyang 12mm f/2 lens.