LUMIX Long Weekend - Isle of Skye

KIT - LUmix Gx8, Leica dg Summilux 12mm f1.4, Leica dg nocticron 42.5mm f1.2

Accommodation - The Crofter’s House

Created in partnership with LUMIX UK, this is the first in a series of twelve photo sets I will be publishing in 2019. While the term ‘long weekend’ is often associated with short trips to mainland Europe, the aim of this series is to highlight the vast range of landscapes and wildlife that can be found within the UK and Ireland.

The Isle of Skye is a well-known destination for photographers. The island has seen an explosion in tourism over the past few years, bringing benefits to the economy but also putting pressure on local infrastructure. This is particularly true in the summer months, when it can be difficult to beat the tour buses to the most popular spots.

Figuring we might have more luck on a cold, rainy weekend in early January, we set off before sunrise to begin the journey north.

When I first visited Skye in 2013, I remember being amazed by the sheer beauty of the scenery. I climbed to the base of the Old Man of Storr and photographed the Black Cuillin as if nobody had ever done it before.

I’ve returned to the island many times since then and, while these landmarks no longer provide the thrilling sense of discovery that comes from experiencing a place with fresh eyes, there is still something that draws me back to them.

Now, whenever I go to Skye, I dutifully stop in and pay a visit to the Old Man. But I also try to walk just a little bit farther, look a just little more closely, and see what’s to be discovered just around the bend.