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A few years ago I traveled to Scotland for the first time, it was an almost fleeting trip, you can see it here. 7 days of which 5 we used to tour Glencoe and the Isle of Skye in a caravan for 5 people, those 5 days left a bittersweet taste in my mouth, so I needed more. So already then I decided that sooner or later I would return.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
Many things have changed since then. Even the way of traveling, a photographic trip is not planned in the same way as a vacation as a couple. Esti and I got so much more time out of it, in 10 days we got to visit parts of Scotland that I didn't see on my previous road trip. For this reason, we provide you with some aspects to take into account for your next trip to Scotland.
Spring and summer, in addition to being more expensive and high season, everything is crowded. So it will be more difficult to find available accommodation. And in some areas of the Highlands, you will find many mosquitoes.
In winter the weather is very complicated and changeable. Not to mention the cold. enjoy Scottish weather !!I will never forget that phrase from the delivery man wishing us the best for our trip in March 2017
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
But in autumn, Autumn in Scotland is spectacular... photographically speaking, autumn always has something, longer sunrises and sunsets, cold temperatures but bearable, the weather is still the well-known Scottish weather, but you will be able to experience many surprises.
In addition to the fact that accommodation can be very expensive, AirBnB could be an option, locating “key” hotels and making round-trip routes was not in our plans. To be able to see as much as possible, a campervan is the best option in Scotland. The cities and towns are adapted to be able to park motorhomes, pay attention to the signs, especially where parking is not allowed. But in general, you can spend the night in places where it is allowed, and as always, using common sense.
On this occasion we chose to rent a campervan with Bunk Campers. We had an office near Edinburgh, our starting point and the most comfortable option to make the most of the 8-day roadtripthat awaited us through Scotland.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
It is advisable to carry a route plan, 2 or even 3 options to sleep or spend the night in a motorhome every day (in case one fails), located campsites and park4night updated on the mobile. It is by far the best option to find places to sleep.
This is the itinerary we followed on this occasion. In 2017 we focused on Skye , which is a must to visitbut we also wanted to see other towns, experiences with local people, get to know Edinburgh better, visit St Andrews and the coastal towns of Fife, Dundee, Pitlochry , cross the Cairngorms National Park, Inverness and Clava Cairns, Culloden , Ness and Fort Augustus , Skye , the well-known Harry Potter Steam Train (the Jacovite ) the abbeys of different towns (inquire beforehand about the timetables and calendars), visit their castles and get lost within the walls of Eilean Donan Castle , Urquhart or Dunvegan , the ruins of Kilchurn Castle , St. Conan's Kirk, The Kelpies and without neglecting visits to distilleries of the famous Single Malt Scotch Whisky, such as Torabhaig . The second brand certified to distill Whisky on Skye .
To exit or enter Skye , you have 2 options, the Bridge to Skye or the Mallaig-Armadale Ferry . We buy the ferry tickets one or two months in advance. Finally, the moment we intended to approach Armadale was ahead of schedule, we decided to leave Skye that same afternoon, because the next morning the weather forecast was much worse, and we were able to change the ticket at no cost. So we did the Armadale – Glennfinan route in 1:20 instead of the 2:45 that we would have to do to get out on the road. These are issues to take into account if you want to take the ferry. Little tip , CalMac's twitter account Serviceis constantly active and they publish detailed information.
Scotland hides authentic gems to visit, natural jewels and man-made monuments. But the weather won't always let you enjoy them as they deserve. Open mind and enjoy despite the bad weather. We are going to focus on some more specific tips and places.
Kelpies are mythological animals in Scotland. They were horses that dwelt in the lochs and seas of the Highlands . They caught anyone who wanted to ride them and drowned them in the waters of the lochs .
The Kelpies sculptures, were built in 2014 at The Helix Park. Seeing them appear unannounced on the road is impressive. The work of Andy Scott, the sculptures measure 30 meters and weigh more than 300 tons.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
We decided to visit the Kelpies at night to practice night photography. To cover our hands in the autumn night what better Vallerret gloves Urbex or the Milfords. In addition, you can take advantage of the visit, take a bike ride through Helix Park, and spend the night in a nearby car park.
There is much written about the Harry Potter train on the Glennfinan Viaduct . And the photographs quickly catch on. But keep in mind that the Jacobite Steam Train has a calendar and schedules to comply with. The first thing you should do is check the schedules on this website.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
We decided to visit in the morning to take advantage of the day after, we spent the night before nearby, in a rest area on the road. We went around 10:00 am to take a place, we knew it would get crowded. The train leaves Fort William around 10:15am and passes through Glennfinan between 10:45 and 11:00.
The path leaves the parking lot , and you will have to go under the viaduct to reach the hillside where you can take a photo of the steam train. In about 10 minutes you will arrive without problems. Go up the path and find a spot. As the hour approaches, the area fills up with people.
Don't worry if you'll have time to take the photo, or if the train will pass quickly. Before reaching the viaduct, the engineer stops and walks by slowly to greet visitors. With one burst on camera, you can capture the entire ride.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
It was quite a surprise to find St. Conan's Kirk in Lochawe . You can spend the night in the Kilchurn car park Castle , is free and little traveled. And visit St Conan in the morning. It took us about 1 hour to see the surroundings, the entrance is free and this temple is worth contemplating. To then return to the other side of Loch Lochawe with the idea of photographing the ruins of Kilchurn . We were lucky to have the sun at our backs and it began to rain in front, on the other shore of Lochawe , behind Kilchurn , the rain and sunlight worked their magic and offered us that majestic rainbow crossing the lake from side to side.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
How is it possible to live so far away, and miss a land where you have never lived? Wherever you go on Skye , you've got a photo. From Portree , Quiraing , Kilt Rock, Neist Point, Flora McDonald's grave, these are places you can't miss. We decided to spend the night at the Uig campsite . Where you can also cross by ferry to the Outer Hebrides . It is a key site to be able to move around the north, since you have everything within an hour's drive.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
As a nerve center is Portree , from where you can make excursions and different visits. Conclusion: 2 days to visit Skye may not be a long time, in the end you are left with the feeling of making the trip running. If the weather is bad, which is usually the case, you won't be able to do some excursions like Old Man of Stor , or the walk to Quiraing . You will always want to return. But that's the way things are.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles for Vallerret Photography Gloves
On a road trip as a couple, not everything is photos of sunrises or sunsets, or photographic plans. There is also time to wander around, visit tourist attractions, enjoy two good pints in the best pubs in Edinburgh or in the most sought after pub in Edinburgh, such as The Banshee Labyrinth . And also a tasting of authentic Scotch Whisky . Looking for distilleries in Scotland, you can choose the one you want and you will always be right. But re-looking for different options, we found a new brand, which has been producing whisky since 2017, but which will be released in 2021.
Photo by Joshua Miravalles
It is a very young brand, with a highly selected and high quality production. Which I am sure will give a lot to talk about in the coming years.
As you can see, it's not all pictures, road and fish'n chips on a road trip to Scotland.
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