Suilven and Inverpolly photography

Hello, I plan a week trip to northwest Scotland in April/May, hopefully also taking some photos there. I plan to do a trip to Suilven and Glencanisp forest, then continue to Fionn Loch and Falls of Kirkaig, from there to Inverpolly forest and Stac Pollaidh and finally climb Cul Mor and descent to Drumrunie forest. If I have some time left maybe a day trip to Torridon on a way back....so I'd like to ask you, if anybody knows it up there....and can point me to some interesting places?
I would also welcome some advices on gear....so far I decided to take K5 + trio of lenses which share 58mm filters - old manual K20/4, FA31/1.8 and DA55/1.4. But also contemplating taking K85/1.8 for some landscape compresion....as is seems that area is vast and vistas from peaks will he huge (in case of good weather). Besides of that I am taking tripod and nodal ninja pano head, but I have to keep photo gear minimal.....alltogether with k85 it makes up to 4kg, which is quite ok. So any advice or opinion is welcomed.

No advice on photographic gear. BUT do remember to take plenty of anti insect cream, spray, wrist and ankle bands, and a hat of some sort. The midges in Scotland (Spring and Summer) will eat you alive.
CHEERS Vic.

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Born again biker with lots of Pentax bits. Every day I wake up is a good day. I'm so old I don't even buy green bananas.

And for those who use perfume, don't. The midges love it.

You're travelling light, which is good because the best images are often the furthest from the car park, at the top of the tallest mountains, or anywhere else inconvenient. Anything that dissuades us from carrying it for long periods should be left behind?

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Best regards, John

Avon 'Skin So Soft' is reputed to be very effective against the dreaded Highland midge. My family suffered terribly from them during a heatwave on Skye (yes you read that correctly a heat wave on Skye) many years ago. I later learned that this Avon product was used by the electric board's power line workers stuck for hours at a time high up in the mountains. I don't however know if this product is still available, its not on my weekly shopping list.
As for your photographic equipment it still seems pretty hefty if you're doing some serious hillwalking/climbing. Even Stac Pollaidh,that most spectacular but not very high among Scottish mountains, is a long way up.
David

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PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout

Skin so Soft is still available, you need the original version - there are now several I believe. It didn't work for me though. DEET is the only thing that works for me. A midge hood may not be so daft a purchase.

If you are happy carrying all that weight than I would most definitely take a longer focal length with me. That said, if it was me, it would be a couple of primes - so in your case the 31 and 85 and a kit/zoom. You just can't beat the versatility to weight ratio of one. Whether it's kit or 55-300. Personally, I find stitching photos is not an issue and you loose no quality/resolution by doing so, on the contrary; especially if you are going to carry a tripod anyhow. So having wide angle would be less important than decent tele - there is only so much you can crop without reducing the photo in size beyond reason. Not to mention weather resistance. Having one lens that you can use regardless of conditions is often priceless.

Just my 2 cents

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'Photography...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten....' (Aaron Siskind)

I used to belt round the Highlands calling at Health Centres and Doctor's Surgery's when I was working in Medical Physics. Never got the time to stop and climb the mountains. But there is a couple of spots on the A837 where you don't have to get out of the car to get an image.

From the car,

Mist on the Mountain



Stac Pollaidh in the distance

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They are gorgeous views. You didn't need to climb the peaks to get these beauties.
David

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PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout

Scared to get out of the car mate, the midge wear Army Boots up there, and if it's not the midge, then it is the rain, you gotta be tough !!!

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Haven climbed all over this area I would strongly recommend taking a zoom lens either the 16-85 or the 18-135 and maybe losing one of the primes.
There's a lot of places on these hills where dramatic rock formations appear at differant focal lengths so having a zoom on makes a lot of sense.
Sure stop and change to primes when time allows but imagine how annoyed you'd be if an Eagle appears and you e got a prime on znd it's not in range. ...bit of a bummer.
Same for Torridon .
Midge menace only really apparent when no wind or in very sheltered places.
Not as wet in coigach as you'd think either.
Some amazing coastal scenery which doesn't seem to be on your agenda fantastic beaches great sea stacks (old man of stoer) lighthouses cliffs etc...

Achiltibuie summer Isles Reiff Achmelvich polbain all great.

Ben more coigach is a fascinating hill much more complex than the stand stone peaks.

Astounding area.

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Cheers,

Bruce

Hi Martin, Torridon is a great place, I hope you manage to get there after all you have already got planned. You could probably spend a week in each place. The weather has been quite good in the Highlands over the last few years during April / May so probably the best time to go. I went up and down the West Coast last year at the end of May, and the 'monsoon' season had set in, rain every day for 10 days. A couple of nice evenings in Mallaig, but cold and wet the rest of the time.
I'm sure you will enjoy it though, and remember, Pentax cameras don't mind the rain

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Hi all...thanks for replies
regarding the midges, I had the 'pleasure' once near Loch Lomond....I am hoping those little flying bloodthirsty buggers will be less active in the beginning of May and higher altitudes. Anyway I am definitely taking some super stinky insect repelent

Zoom advice si interesting, nowadays only zoom I have is DA17-70 but that's very moody when it comes to focusing, so I don't use it that much. I am not sure about taking it....

Mag07 .....good point with longer focal lenghts being more useful when stitching. Will consider maybe not selling my FA135 until that trip....i don't know yet.

Galoot - nice photos from car....I've been to Torridon once, but it was all misty and raining hopefully I'll have more luck this time. Definitely this is a challenge to plan trip to Scotland with notorious british weather in mind.

JohnRiley - definitely, while I enjoy driving through scenic landscapes, you gotta really use your feet to find some more stunning scenery. Only problem I have to solve....where I am going to park a car for three or four days?

If you're leaving your car for 3 or 4 days at the roadside up there you'll have to leave a visible note or tell police where you're going as it's likely to spark a rescue situation if you just leave it with no notice for 4 days.

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Cheers,

Bruce

Avon Skin so Soft is a hair remover. Which one?,
and how the hell does that work? (against the midges)
Like Gwyn I use "DEET" but the little bu****s still eat me alive.
CHEERS Vic

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Born again biker with lots of Pentax bits. Every day I wake up is a good day. I'm so old I don't even buy green bananas.

Avon Skin So Soft is a range of products. It is the original body milk/moisturiser that is supposed to work. You can buy it in many of the village shops up there.


Just looked into it a little more - it is the dry oil spray you need, though some swear by it others say it doesn't work. The only real protection against the wee blighters is to cover up, including using a midge hood.