Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland, Spring
For our 1st full day in Skye, we gradually eased ourselves in.
Driving 7–8 hours can take it out of you.
So, with pleasing light conditions, we aimed straight for arguably the island’s main settlement, Portree. There’s a fairly well-known hike one can do from Portree, known as the Scorrybreac circuit. You head northeast out of town, take the coastal path below the cliffs of Ben Chracaig, navigate around the corner at Sgeir Mhòe, and follow the coastline towards Toravaig, with magnificent views down the Sound of Raasay and the cliffs of Sìthean a’ Bhealaich Chumhaing. Then it’s a question of hiking up the sharp ascent to Ben Chracaig and onto the path and road back down to Portree.
The views and light around the walk were stunning. Glamaig of the Red Cuillins was coated in snow and clear as a bell.
All photos taken on my Sony α7ii using my Pentax SMC 28mm F3.5 prime lens and Vivitar “Series 1” 70–210mm f2.8–4.0 zoom lens. RAWs developed in Lightroom, then edited and finalised in Photoshop.
Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland, Spring by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Upon our arrival at Portree, and parking up at the main car park, the views down Loch Portree towards the snowy Cuillins were already staggering. I quickly attached my longest lens and went snappy happy as the lighshow was constantly changing.
Our goal was to follow the coastal path below the left hill. But before we could get on that, this scene opened in front of me, putting me in mind of the fjords of Norway. I zoomed all the way to 210mm to get a real tight composition, involving the flanks of Ben Chracaig to the left, the crags of Ben Tianavaig to the right, and the hills of the Isle of Raasay in the middle.
On the trail, the sound of rushing water caught our attention. We quickly nipped off trail and followed the sound, locating this beautiful and totally unexpected waterfall! These unnamed falls belong to the River Chracaig as it tumbles down the hills above.
As we rounded the corner at Sgeir Mhòr, this magnificent view down the coastline to the illuminated cliffs of Sìthean a’ Bhealaich Chumhaing appeared.
We followed the trail further down the coastline until it abruptly turns inland near this area of flat land. The path then zigzags up the steep hillside of Ben Chracaig. Halfway up, lighting conditions changed and I quickly nabbed this dramatic shot.
Away from the cliffs and onto the moorland above Portree, this frankly ridiculous scene revealed itself to us. The Storr, lightly dusted in snow, with a thick and dramatic storm above, whilst the Portree moorlands and this house receive a strong burst of sunlight from behind us.
Back at Portree the light continued to change dramatically, with the clouds lifting above the Cuillins. I zoom in tight on this composition of Portree harbour as the light broke through the clouds enough to highlight the snowy Cuillins.