Nothing planned. It was a questionable weather forecast whatever direction I headed off in so I jumped in the car well before dawn and headed vaguely in the Glencoe direction, no expectations. When I head out I never know what the weather gods will give me, but in this scenario anything is a bonus.
There was a full moon so I was hoping for some kind of shot under moonlight, always a pleasant change from sunlight.
A moonlit Ben Vorlich, Orion above
I was in two minds, to stop or not for a shot of Ben Vorlich, I stopped but had to reverse back a bit, I was hoping for a little more snow on the summit.
I quickly moved on, eyes peeled for other possibilities and soon came to a spot where I’d never taken an image that was satisfying. I was in luck.
The Bridge of Orchy Hills
Here were the snow capped mountains I was hoping for beautifully reflecting the moonlight, it had to be a panorama of the Bridge of Orchy Mountains. I was here for a little longer than I realised and it was the penetrating cold that saw me reach for the down jacket in my car. With another shot in mind I was glad to be on the road again, car heater going at full tilt. I almost went home wanting to see what this multi shot panorama would look like when stitched together, I resisted the urge.
Buachaille Etive Mor
Buachaille Etive Mor was my next target though the first vestiges of daylight were beginning to show I still managed a shot with Orion seemingly standing in the cloud to the center right of the image.
It was time to break out the coffee, there was still a while until sunrise as I found a spot to stop off in Glen Etive and have a short nap.
It was time to revisit a hidden spot I’d not visited in years and drove right past it not recognising it in the early dawn light. I needed to turn around but the traffic on this tiny single track road was crazy, more like the busy A9 road north. It turned out there was some big construction site and the workers were all piling in.
Heading back I found my missed stop off and togged up for possible showery downpours, mounting the style over the deer fence I enjoyed the tiny remote perch down by the river with it’s seclusion.
My little rock ledge was super slippery and wet, caution was uppermost in my mind, the dark swirling waters were deep and cold, didn’t want to fall in…
River Etive
With care, my images captured I stopped a while and indulged in some more hot coffee, it was still chilly though sheltered. It wasn’t long before it was time to high tail it back to the car; I could see squally showers threatening. Back in the warmth of the drivers seat I headed out with a view to going home. But I couldn’t resist one more stop off on the way.
The Black Mount
The showers passed and I just had to stop, I’ve shot this scene many times before in various ways, but this panorama was just too good to pass up with the dappled light playing across the autumnal moorland.
Rowan Trees, Rannoch Moor
For an ad hoc day out and ‘No Particular Place to go…’, this turned out to be pretty good, I was looking forward to my next unplanned day out…