Image Details
On this day I had been up well before dawn to undertake a commission at the superb Duirinish Lodge, just north of Plockton. As the commission was to photograph the entire exterior and grounds, it meant being there all day to take advantage of the sun as it moved round the lodge.
Eventually I squeezed the last drop of possible light out of nature for this commission, then drove at a rather fast speed to Loch Torridon in the hope of catching a superb sunset. It was touch and go as to whether I would make it and I kept looking at the clock, and pushing down the accelerator! It was my intention to get a photograph of the village of Torridon which is dramatically situated as a row of houses right at the base of Liathach, and capturing that in a sunset I thought would be quite special. I have always loved this scene ever since I saw one by Colin Baxter many years ago, but that was not a sunset.
However, before reaching that viewpoint I was presented with a wonderful view of Loch Torridon. I had to stop and photograph it (M00523) even though it might lose me the opportunity of photographing Torridon village. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!
Finishing the photograph I ran back to the car and drove very fast to the next viewpoint. It was as above - I was still in time! I always feel that the village of Torridon, its few houses nestled at the base of Liathach, always looks so vulnerable to rock falls and drainage from Liathach. This photograph proved technically difficult to render without shadow clipping due to the very low light levels in the foreground forest and I spent quite some time on that aspect.
North-west Highland Place Names
The landscape of the North-west Highlands and the Gaelic language are intimately connected. Other languages have contributed to the richness of our place names, notably Norse, but the North-west Highlands have for centuries been a Gaelic landscape. In listing the meanings of place names I have relied on authoritative sources wherever possible. For further information about sources please refer to North-west Highland Place Names in the main menu.
Duirinish; From the Norse dyra-nes meaning ‘Deer’s headland’.
Liathach; Gaelic, ‘the hoary place’.
Loch Torridon; Professor Watson gives a detailed account of Torridon starting with the recorded history of this name – Torvirtayne 1464; Torrerdone 1584; Gaelic Toir(bh)eartan compare with the Irish tairbheart, to transfer, carry over, the infinitive of tairbrim. This would give the place the meaning of ‘place of transference’ with reference to the portage from the head of Loch Torridon through Glen Torridon to Loch Maree. The name applies specially to the strip of land at the head of the loch.
Plockton; The Gaelic name is Ploc Loch Aillse meaning ‘the lump of Lochalsh’ this due to the humpy promontory which ends in Rudha-mór.
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