Glencoe and Beyond Photography Workshop Tour (November 18th to 22nd 2025)

Description

New for 2024. Join me on a 5-day photography workshop in the fantastic Scottish Highlands. We will be staying and focussing our efforts in Glencoe, where our cottage is based but we will also head further out to locations such as Kilchurn Castle, Corpach and Castle Stalker.

You can’t help but be amazed and stand in awe of Glencoe. It has a fantastic reputation for a reason and is the first location I visited in Scotland all those years ago. I have an affinity with the place and love going up on personal trips, exploring different areas and it is a place very much close to my heart for a variety of reasons. It really is a photographer’s paradise, with lot’s of low down locations with easy access and of course if you are inclined, plenty higher up too.

The bulk of locations run from Rannoch Moor along the A82 down to the village itself. This long stretch really does offer a lot.

Starting at the top you have the fantastic view across Loch na h-Achlaise to the Black Mount. Drive just down the road and the icon of Scotland, Buachaille Etive More (or the Buckle) comes into view. This pyramid shaped mountain looks stunning from so many angles and in my opinion is what a mountain would look like if you asked a child to draw one. You can photograph it from Black Rock Cottage, the River Coupall and other various vantage points.

Heading further down into the valley you then get to see the mighty Three Sisters which are three mountains towering over the A82. Dropping down to the river provides a really good vantage point for these peaks. The peaks also hide the hidden valley of Glencoe, which while not on the itinerary is worth an explore in ones own time. From near the Clachaig Inn, you can look back up the valley with some fantastic waterfalls as a foreground and the imposing Aanoch Eagoch ridge towers above.

Then there is Glencoe Lochan, a fantastic small loch with the Pap of Glencoe as a fantastic backdrop. A really easy location within walking distance of our accommodation.

Other places we will explore are Glen Etive, yes the famous glen featured in Skyfall with its many waterfalls finished off with a fjord like loch at the end.

Within a hours drive we have Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe which is a classic location definitely worth the drive, particularly if we get the reflections. On the road to Oban you also have Castle Stalker, a small castle on an island in a sea loch.

Lastly, there is Corpach where an abandoned boat sits on the beach with the highest mountain in the UK as the background, which of course is Ben Nevis.

However we won’t be confined to just these locations and we may explore other spots such as Glen Nevis and Steall Falls if time and conditions allow. If we have a willing and fit enough group we may even head up higher to spots such as Benin A’Chrulaiste, Kinlochleven viewpoint and other mountain vistas. This is totally dependant on the group though so please do not book on this alone and don’t be put off if you’re not up to it.

The workshop has been chosen for this week in November as it will provide more sociable sunrise and sunset times as well as the area being generally quieter. If the weather is of concern, it is obviously Scotland and we could have anything thrown at us, including all 4 seasons. I have had fantastic weeks at this time of year and some not so great and we will make the most of what we are given. Trust me, the weather can be horrific in summer and there really is no guarantee whenever you go but at least there won’t be midges! Also there is a chance that the tops may have snow on them, with a little bit of luck!

The workshop has been mainly designed to head out for the golden hours, so sunrise and sunset each day. We will likely have a bit of time in the cottage during the day to cook breakfast/lunch, do a little post-processing etc. However there may be times where I tag on locations or if the weather is looking poor maybe we will be out in the day instead at a location that suits moody conditions such as Glen Etive. There will be an element of flexibility required to enable us to extract the most from the workshop and I will tell you rough plans the evening before once the weather forecast is as accurate as it can be. My aim is to get you to most of the classic locations in the gallery below throughout the week.

We will be staying in a self-catering cottage in Glencoe itself to ensure we are as close to the locations as we can be. We will be next-door to the Clachaig Inn for those who wish to eat out and this really is a fantastic climbers pub. However, as we are in a self-catering cottage, this gives us much more flexibility to come and go as we please and also cook meals in the cottage without being bound to serving times. A certain amount of flexibility will be required as we may be out shooting during some meal times but we will discuss on a day-to-day basis. With the sunset being around 16:00, we will be back most days in plenty of time for an evening meal. We generally tend to have a meal out on the last night to sign off the week and celebrate.

Transport is provided during the week to allow you to take in those views as we drive around.

There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms in the cottage, enabling you to have a room to yourself. Linen and towels are provided. If you would like to bring a partner or friend, then there is a 50% discount available for the second person to those wishing to do so and happy to share a room. There is only one opportunity for this discount as it would raise the number of participants from 3 to 4. As the accommodation is a cottage the rooms vary in size, there are two double rooms and a twin room. There are 2 bathrooms which means sharing but the price of the workshop reflect this. There are very few options for self-catering in Glencoe but I truly believe a cottage works better for the workshop and allows me to offer the workshop at a much better price for you.

I run relaxed workshops that require flexibility. With the Scottish weather, plans can often change and I will advise on a day-by-day basis what we are to do. I aim to take you out and show you how I would work as if I was there on my own. However, I always keep personal photos to a minimum, only setting up to demonstrate my workflow once everyone is happy or if the conditions are unique.

Throughout the week we will look at basic techniques such as focusing, using a tripod, use of filters vs exposure blending, composition, working with the light and much more. We will also look at more advanced techniques as the week progresses and there will be plenty of processing sessions where we can showcase our images (if you’re comfortable) to each other.

For those wishing to travel via public transport, there is a CityBus that runs through Glencoe. Trains also run to Fort William or Bridge of Orchy and then you can get a bus to Glencoe from there.

There is a £300 non-refundable booking fee required to secure your place with the balance due no later than 8-weeks before the start of the workshop. I have added the ability to pay for the full workshop and balance via the website so you can pay using a credit method of your choice should you wish to do so.

The workshop concludes on Friday at check-out which is 10:00. This will allow us to catch a sunrise and then people will have plenty of time to travel back.