Photographing a Hidden Waterfall in the Scottish Highlands
A Glen of Secrets and Surprises
A few times each year I return to my homeland of the Scottish Highlands. These visits are always precious to me, giving me the chance to reconnect with my family, my roots, and the landscapes that I love. They also give me the opportunity to stretch my photography and photograph something other than Dartmoor for a change! If you are a regular reader of the blog, you will know there are two Highland locations I return to again and again: Kilchurn Castle and Glencoe. Both are beautiful, iconic places, and understandably very well photographed.
Photography is not the only thing I love doing when I am in Scotland. I also have a love of walking, running, and cycling. Sometimes I follow routes I know well, but I also enjoy exploring and seeing what I can discover. It was during one of those walks a few years ago that I stumbled across a waterfall that immediately caught my attention. Not only did it look like a wonderful place for a wild swim, but it also sparked my imagination photographically.
Now, I am certainly not claiming to be the first person to discover this hidden gem, but given its remote location it is not a place that sees a huge number of photographers. Walkers, runners, and perhaps even a few cyclists may recognise it immediately when they see the photographs. One thing is certain though, it receives nowhere near the footfall of some of Glencoe’s more famous waterfalls.
Ever since first seeing it, I had wanted to return with my camera, but it has taken until now for me to finally make the long walk back. What a journey it turned out to be. The walk into the glen was beautiful, with constantly changing Highland weather bringing rain, rainbows, and moments of glorious sunshine. The old saying about experiencing four seasons in one day could not have been more accurate.
As I entered the glen, the light was simply stunning. Clouds drifted across the mountains, creating moving patches of light that danced across the landscape. I stopped several times just to breathe it all in. Even if I had come home without a single photograph, I was already in a place that made my heart sing.
The Fall, Scottish Highlands - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 37mm, f/8, 1.6 secs at ISO 80 with Kase Revolution CPL and 3 Stop ND.
Arriving at the waterfall with my camera felt genuinely special. There was no one else around for miles and I had the place entirely to myself. I could slow down, take my time, and really enjoy the process of photography. So much of landscape photography can feel slightly frantic, especially during those fleeting moments of soft light at sunrise or sunset. Here though, tucked away deep in the glen with only the sound of the water for company, time seemed to slow down. Whether I stayed for thirty minutes or three hours, very little would change. It was bliss.
While I am not publicly sharing the exact location, I am very happy to share the experience of photographing it in this video. I hope it gives you a small taste of what it felt like to be there.
I already know there is more work to be done at this waterfall. I would love to refine some of the compositions and experience the place in different seasons, water levels, and conditions. And perhaps next time I will finally bring some shorts and take that swim I keep promising myself.
I cannot wait to return.
The White Fall, Scottish Highlands - Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 55mm, f/8, 30 secs at ISO 80 with Kase Revolution CPL and 6 Stop ND.
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