Scotland, Off the beaten Path

Photograph the Spirits of Scotland with Tillman Crane

Strabo Photo Tours

October 5 to 17

 

“I have never been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks.”
Daniel Boone

I was never wholly lost in Scotland, but I was befuddled on more than one occasion. During my first extensive photo trip to Scotland in 2003, I spent much of my time driving around the highlands and central Scotland seeing what I could find. This Photo Tour is based on that exploration from many years ago. We will visit many of the significant historical sites in central Scotland, but more importantly, we will visit some of the unusual places I found on my journeys. Here are a few of these out of the way places we will explore.

Clootie Well

 

A Clootie well is a sacred site for some Scots. It is an ancient site for healing. Superstition dictates that you bring a piece of cloth and dip it in the well then wrap the fabric around what hurts or aches. The take the part of cloth off and leave it at the site as a gift to the fairies. This hillside is covered with hundreds if not thousands of healing gifts. It is a beautiful place to experience.

Black Isle

 

One of the distilleries we will visit is the well-known Glenmorangie Distillery on the banks of the Moray Firth. While we are in the area, we may stop to photograph the landscape surrounding the Moray Firth.

 

Clava Cairns

In a glade near the Culloden Battlefield lies a quiet place called Clava Cairns. It is a 4000-year-old Neolithic site with standing stones and two Neolithic burial sites.

Elgin Cathedral Step

 

The Elgin Cathedral ruin is one of the few cathedral ruins that has the Chapter house relatively intact. I was fascinated by the wear on the stone step into the Chapter House. How many feet trod on this step to wear the shape into the stone?

Spynie Palace

Spynie Palace was the Bishop of Moray’s home for 500 years. The largest tower house that survives in Scotland is here. The ruins of the cathedral are also on the grounds. Duffus Castle is nearby. We may also visit some of the small local medieval churches that populate the area.

Lady Leng Chapel

 

When we head south towards St. Andrews, we will photograph the Vicarsford Chapel, a small and relatively tall Gothic structure. It is rectangular and has an apsidal southern end. This memorial chapel to the Leng family is often called the Lady Leng Chapel. It looks like a small Gothic cathedral sitting on top of a hill in Fife, Scotland.

Dunino Fairy Glen

The Dunino Fairy Glen is also in the St. Andrews area. Fairy Glens are sacred places that have been in use for thousands of years. This one is located behind the Dunino Church. A stream runs through the forest and standing above the stream is an outcrop of rock that looks like a Neolithic pulpit. The church and the Fairy Glen both offer extraordinary photographic opportunities.

If you want to find these out of the way places in Scotland, join me on this Photographic tour.

 

tillman