Image Details
On the day I took this image I was planning to go to Glen Docherty at the southern end of Loch Maree. As I approached the Slattadale end of Loch Maree, and the above vista came more and more into view, thoughts of Glen Docherty quickly faded from my mind! It's not often that a reflection will appear on a body of water as large as Loch Maree, the lighting was superb too, so this was an opportunity not to be missed.
From the roadside the view was partly obscured by the trees you see in the above photograph, so I had to gain some height. This I did by scrambling up the opposite embankment as far as I could. If I went too far up I was going to disappear into more trees, so I was a bit restricted in where I could move to.
I spent sometime trying to find a viewpoint in which the road would be obscured, but it was proving difficult to find one that didn't result in some other unwanted intrusion. Then I noticed that the loch was being disturbed by wind. Panic set in! No more wasting time, I had to capture what I had, and quickly!! Setting up the tripod asap, levelling the camera, taking exposure readings, attaching the cable release, etc, etc, all this couldn't be done fast enough, I had to get this shot!
All was ready, I took the shot, and relaxed, whew! Before long the reflections were erased by a cool breeze, and I felt pretty satisfied that I had been fortunate enough to be here just when nature was putting on a show. I packed up, continued on down to Glen Docherty, and there I had to wait for several hours for the light to be right, but that's landscape photography for you, at one moment it's utter panic, then next you are waiting, and waiting, and waiting...
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.
Glen Docherty; Listed by Professor Watson as Glen Docharty; Gaelic Gleann Dochartaich, from the negative prefix do and cartach, ‘scoury’, or ‘place of scouring’; ‘Glen of evil (i.e., excessive) scouring’ which describes it well.
Loch Maree; Gaelic Loch-Ma-rui(bh), Loch of St Maelrubha, an Irish monk who came to Scotland in 671A.D founding a church in Applecross before coming to Loch Maree where he founded another church on the island now known as Isle Maree. Professor Watson writes in his ‘Place names of Ross & Cromarty’ on page 230 “That Loch Maree was formerly called Loch Ewe is clear from the fact that the River Ewe issues from it, that Kinlochewe (meaning ‘Head of Loch Ewe’) stands at its upper end, and Letterewe on its north side”.
Slattadale; Gaelic Sléiteadal from the Norse Sléttr-dalr, Even-dale.
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