Photography with Colin Prior View Trip Dates Assynt and Coigach Book Now Trip Grade: Green Assynt and Coigach The landscape of Assynt and Coigach is unique. Its defining quality could be described as ‘ancient’ with the underlying rocks billions of years old. The light found in the North-West Highlands is incredibly special, combined with the superb graphics offered by the mountains; photographers have the potential to capture never to be repeated moments. Colin Prior’s photographic knowledge of the Highlands and Islands is second to none - and this region is one of his absolute favourites. He will take you to some of his preferred locations where he will work with you to improve your photography and develop your own style which will allow you to capture the images you have always wanted. An early morning outing to catch the sunrise will be a memorable occasion which will allow Colin to demonstrate how he produces some of his most famous images. Highlights • Improve your photography skills in the company of Colin Prior - one of the UK’s leading landscape photographers • Work in some of the finest photographic locations in Scotland • Enjoy spectacular scenery and encounter wildlife including red deer and golden eagles Book with confidence • We guarantee this trip will run as soon as 2 people have booked • Maximum of 10 places available per departure PLEASE NOTE – The itinerary may be subject to change at the discretion of the Wilderness Scotland Guide with regard to weather conditions and other factors. Planned Itinerary Day 1 | Photographing Assynt Day 2 | Clachtoll and the Old Man of Stoer Day 3 | Stac Pollaidh and the Assynt Wilderness Day 4 | Achnaird Bay and Achiltibuie Day 5 | Corrieshalloch Gorge Arrival Info • You will meet Colin Prior at the centre of Inverness Railway Station by the fixed seating area 08.30am on Day 1 of your trip Departure Info • You will be returned to Inverness Railway Station 3:00pm on the final day of your trip PLEASE NOTE – The itinerary may be subject to change at the discretion of the Wilderness Scotland Guide with regard to weather conditions and other factors. Day 1 | Torridon and Loch Maree Colin will meet you underneath the main display board in the arrival hall at Inverness Railway Station at 8.30a.m. on Wednesday morning. Inverness is a small station so it will be easy to identify Colin. After the group has met and subject to weather, we will head for Torridon where we will spend our first day, stopping to photograph Liathach and Loch Clair in Glen Torridon. After lunch we will drive to Loch Maree where we will have the opportunity to photograph Slioch from a variety of locations. We will depart around 3.30 p.m. for Ullapool following the coast road via Gairloch and Poolewe arriving at our guest house around 5.00 p.m. (D) Day 2 | Clachtoll and the Point of Stoer Today we will drive north to Clachtoll where the white sandy bay gives way to a rocky foreshore. Beautifully rounded boulders composed of Torridonian sandstone are punctuated with those ofLewisian gneiss – the building block of the north-west Highlands. After lunch we will head for Stoer Head lighthouse and take a short walk across the moorland, which gives superb aspects back towards the lighthouse and the cliffs. On our return we will stop at a high-point which overlooks the mountains of Assynt and Coigach – Canisp, Suilven, CulMor, CulBeag, StacPollaidh and Ben MorCoigach can all be seen linearly on the horizon. (B, L, D) Day 3 | Stac Pollaidh and the Assynt Wilderness Today we will hike up Stac Pollaidh following a well-maintained footpath which winds its way up the east side of the mountains and retuns by a path on its west side. A one hour walk will take us to the top where views over Loch Sionascaig, Quinag, Suilven and Cul Mor are amongst the finest in Scotland. On the October trip, we will have an early start so we can be at the summit for dawn. On the May trip it will be a post-dawn walk in the morning as sunrise is so early at this time of year. We will spend the afternoon exploring the headlands and coral sands of Achnahaird Bay. (B, L, D) Day 4 | Achnahaird Bay and Garvie Bay After breakfast, we depart for Garvie Bay – a 45-minute walk across the moorland takes us to a secluded beach where Suilven creates the perfect backdrop to the foreshore. After lunch, we will head back to Achnahiard follow the path along the cliff- tops overlooking Enard Bay. Here the views across the sea towards the Assynt mountains create a spectacular backdrop – Suilven, Cul Mor, Stac Pollaidh and Ben Mor Coigach punctuate the horizon with their enigmatic shapes. (B, L, D) Day 5 | Dundonnell After checking out, we will drive to Dundonnell and ascend a high point, which gives unbroken views towards An Teallach. The well-wooded area has stands of mature trees, which eventually give way and the An Teallach Massif is revealed in its entirety. A 1300 departure will facilitate arrival at Inverness Station around 1500 where the workshop will conclude. (B, L) Trip Grading | Green 3 | Our Green graded photography trips are suitable for people who enjoy outdoor photography and easy hiking, and have a reasonable level of fitness. We will be accessing wild locations to photograph so you should be comfortable hiking for up to 3 hours at a time. The terrain will be mostly good paths and hill trails but these can still be muddy and rough in places. Some hikes may involve an ascent up to a max of approx 1,500 feet / 450m. The days are fairly leisurely and we spend about 6-8 hours outdoors. Out timetable will be flexible however, so we may head out early for a few hours before taking a break and going out again in the evening to take advantage of the best light. Our photography trips are not graded by your degree of photography skill - a small group size means you will have lots of time for one-to-one tuition regardless of your starting level. The weather in Scotland can be unpredictable and at times can make activities more challenging. Please do bear this in mind when thinking about what trip to join. If our guides feel that you are not able to complete a scheduled hike they may ask you not to join in that day. If you have any questions about the grading, then please do give our Adventure Consultants a call to chat through your experience and suitability for this trip. It is your responsibility to ensure you are appropriately fit and capable of doing the described hikes in the expected times. Please refer to the grading section on our website for more details. If you are unsure we encourage you to speak to us first. Your Photography Coach Colin Prior is one of Britain's leading landscape photographers. His spectacular panoramic images capture the beauty and eternal quality of the world's wild places, especially those of his own native Scotland. He brings to his work a strong personal vision combined with supreme technical mastery of his chosen medium. Each photograph uniquely captures fleeting moments of nature that will never repeat themselves. Colin is also a patient and skilled photography coach and enjoys helping clients improve their skills on these trips. Accommodation and Meals Our accommodation for this holiday is a 4-star guest house located on a hillside just outside the fishing village of Ullapool. The house enjoys fantastic views over Loch Broom and the hills beyond. Freshly prepared, locally sourced meals are taken in a range of local restaurants. Meals are a real highlight of this trip, with freshly caught seafood a particular specialty. Naturally any special dietary requirements can be catered for. Single Rooms Each client will have a single room (unless a double or twin is requested) and all of the rooms are en-suite. Our holidays reviewed in your words… Colin was an excellent guide, generously sharing his years of experience and always ready to offer help and advice “ where needed. He took us to some beautiful locations, adjusting plans as necessary to get the best of the changeable weather. Another brilliant trip with WS. A wonderful opportunity to get out and photograph the beautiful Highlands, with expert tuition from one of the best landscape photographers around. Tamasin Dale ” All Trip Reviews Here Your Guide During this trip you will be accompanied and led by one of our professional guides. Our guides are among the most highly experienced and qualified in the country. Defined by their passion for Scotland’s wild places, they have an intimate knowledge of the natural and social history of this land which they will be delighted to share with you. For more info and to meet the team please see our Guide Pages. Sustainable Travel Wilderness Scotland is committed to the principles of ecotourism. We work very hard to ensure our engagements with local communities, wild lands and wildlife are positive. We are a proud partner of the Leave No Trace Centre for Outdoor Ethics, which enhances our commitment to responsible activity in Scotland’s wild lands, as enshrined in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC). We are also proud to be a John Muir Trust Peak Partner. Thanks in part to the generosity of our clients though our Conservation Contribution scheme the John Muir Trust can rely on our investment to go towards conservation projects that have a deep connection to Wilderness Scotland and the areas we adventure in.