Hidden Scotland: The West Highlands and Islands
September 5 - 13, 2025
Our Trip
Bewitching castle ruins. Neolithic stone circles. Expansive and unspoiled wilderness areas. Sacred isles. The Highlands and islands of Scotland fire the imagination like no other region of Britain. The tapestry of culture, history, architecture and unparalleled scenery create the perfect backdrop for a one-of-a-kind photography adventure
Join us for 9 days and 8 nights as we explore the West Highlands…often called “secret” or “hidden” Scotland because it’s not hard to find yourself the only car on the road or the only person on the beach. We’ll visit everything from castle ruins to stunning beaches, lochs and mountains, to Celtic carvings , crofting museums, dark age forts and monuments. Every day will be filled with photographic and creative opportunities with Alan at your side providing photographic know-how, experience and a light-hearted approach to honing your photographic voice. Alan’s wife, Julie, will be along to help make the experience both memorable and stress-free.
Our adventure begins in Edinburgh the morning of September 5th, when you will be picked up at your hotel by one of our wonderful guides. Our destination is a secluded lochside country hotel in the Argyll area, with stops along the way at scenic and historic sites. The Gaelic term for Argyll is “Earra Ghaidheal,” meaning “the boundary of the Gaels’.
We spend the next two days exploring this magnificent region of Scotland, taking in Inveraray, home of the Duke of Argyll and chief of Clan Campbell, the extraordinary neolithic stone circles of Kilmartin Glen and the intricate medieval Celtic sculpture typical of the area, all set in glorious mountainous scenery.
We then make our way to the port of Oban, where we’ll board a ferry for the short ride to the Isle of Mull. Tobermory, the island’s charming and colorful capital, will be our home base for three nights while the group enjoys excursions to St. Columba’s sacred isle, Iona, with its spectacular monastery and Celtic crosses overlooking the graves of ancient kings and the Lords of the Isles. Other potential site visits include Lochbuie and Castle Moy, Castle Duart, home of the chief of Clan Maclean, and lovely Calgary Beach
From Mull, we cross the sound of Mull back to the mainland and the rugged and remote Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Here we’ll visit the impossibly romantic ruin of Castle Tioram, ancient stronghold of the Macdonalds of Clanranald. This is where the last Jacobite rebellion began. We’ll follow Bonnie Prince Charlie’s boat trip up remote Loch Shiel to Glenfinnan to view the monument to the Prince’s failed endeavor before finding our base in the quaint fishing port of Mallaig, across the water from Skye.
Our final few days will be spent exploring the area. Options include a day on Skye visiting the gardens and castle of Armadale, an excursion by boat to the remote Knoydart peninsula, and enjoying the dramatic coastal scenery along the “Road to the Isles.”
Partners/spouses are absolutely welcome on the trip and typically join the group on all the adventures. Our itinerary is designed to be not only visually of interest, but also culturally and historically interesting, and our non-photographers have enjoyed our locations as much as the photographers.
If your preferred medium is more along the lines of paper and pencil, charcoals, or pastels rather than film or pixels, you are also welcome on this adventure. We’ve had several sketch artists join us on previous trips and while the itinerary doesn’t allow for an entire day at one location, it does allow for anywhere from an hour to several hours, which has proven to be ample time for an artist to capture the essence of the location.
Our travel partner for this adventure is the exceptional Scottish Clans and Castles, a small travel firm specializing in custom tours based on an insiders’ knowledge to create one-of-a-kind and off-the-beaten-path experiences. They have been part of our trips since 2019.
Pricing and Payment
Due to the small nature of most lodging in the Highlands, our group is limited to 12 participants. Price is $5,700 per person double occupancy and $6,200 per person single occupancy and is based on roughly six solo participants and six participants sharing rooms.
A deposit of $1,250 per person is required to hold your spot. The balance is due no later than July 1, 2025 and may be made in multiple payments. If you need to cancel before July 1, $625 will be refunded. Because of the advance planning and deposits required, if the cancellation is within 60 days or less of the start of the trip, we will not be able to fund any of the workshop fee.
Checks are greatly appreciated, but payment can also be made through the website with either Shopify or PayPal.
On the unlikely chance that we need to cancel the workshop for any reason, you will be refunded the full workshop fee.
Important Note: In order to keep cost in line with previous adventures, we have priced this trip based on a full group of 12, and with a mix of double and single occupancy rooms.
Included
- Eight nights lodging in unique country house hotels and inns. All rooms with private bath. Please note that some rooms may be cozy and that some of these hotels may not have elevators, so you may need to take a stairway or two to get to your room. There is always someone to help with luggage.
- Nine full days of photographic adventure, instruction and support
- All location and entrance fees
- All breakfasts
- Ground transportation in comfortable 8-passenger mini-vans
- Ferries
- Local, knowledgeable and fun guides/drivers
Not Included
- Transportation to and from the Edinburgh airport to hotels
- Passport
- Airfare and related taxes or fees
- Meals not mentioned above
- Gratuities for guides and hotel staff
- Personal expenses, services or purchases
- Travel/cancellation insurance (highly recommended)
Other Information
Our arrival and departure airport is Edinburgh. You should plan to arrive no later than September 4th. Hotel suggestions will be offered upon registration.
Our adventure finishes on the morning of September 13th in Mallaig, on the famous “Road to the Isles.” Guests will have the option of traveling with our guides back to Edinburgh, a scenic journey with great attractions along the way, or extending their tour of Scotland. Suggestions include the Isle of Skye, the Isles of Lewis and Harris or even a visit to the north coast. We are happy to advise and help with arrangements as requested.
Bring layers of clothing and comfortable walking shoes. The weather in the Highlands is unpredictable, even in September. The chance of rain is always there, so waterproof gear for you and your camera is recommended.
Any camera is welcome…from large format to DSLR to mirrorless to iPhone. If you want help with post processing or other image review, a laptop is recommended but not essential.
We select a mix of locations as photo and visual opportunities while keeping open ad hoc options as they arise. To make the most of Scotland’s dramatic scenery and historic sites, some of these involve short 5 – 10-minute walks. We endeavor to make sure none of this is arduous, and guests always have the option of staying with the vans (and our drivers can sometimes make alternative excursions). Please let us know if you have mobility issues or restrictions so that we can take them into account.
A month before departure, you’ll receive additional information to help you prepare for our adventure. From camera gear advice to packing suggestions, you’ll get lots of guidance to ensure your trip is one of learning and image making instead of problems and hassles.
Sláinte and see you in Scotland.
