Tim Parkin - Landscape Photographer

For the last few years, our annual holiday to Scotland has been centred around Glencoe. Usually we would spend a week somewhere else and then come back to the Clachaig for a week in one of their log cabins. This year, we decided to try somewhere a little different. Richard Childs, a friend and fellow photographer who lives in Oban, recommended Argyll and I was particularly interested in the old Oak forests of Knapdale. We also decided to go a bit later this year, starting our holiday in October, hoping that the Autumn colour would be getting on well at this time of year. After looking around for acommodation, we found a farm/cottage called SeafieldFarm near Achnamara which had two extension wings for self catering rental. These were situated at the head of Loch Sween to give easy access to some of the forest areas such as Taynish and Crinan.

As always, the drive into Scotland is stunning. I can’t help but get excited to see the mountains as you leave Glasgow and start heading into Loch Lomond territory. As we come off the Glencoe road, we pass an area called Glencroe, which despite having a lot of traffic has some loveley scenery and must be revisited (just up from here is a place called ‘Rest and be thankful’ where a tornado pilot fatally crashed during our stay).

The accommodation turned out to be of a very high quality, we were settled quickly and walking out onto the peninsula within the hour. The forestry walk passed by large ruined croft buildings and it was easy to see that the autumnal colour was on its way, but not quite there yet.

Craignish was our first proper walk out but turned out windy and bleak. When the weather gets blowy, avoid the unprotected west coast. Back inland we walked around the small loch at Barnluasgan, a forestry maintained area with two small lochs and an old growth oak forest on a ridgeline. The small loch is wheelchair accessible and works out at just less than a mile around and includes a bird spotting hide in the reeds at one end. I found a strange floating log that was to become a compositional challenge for me a couple of days later. A quick digital snap for now though and back to farm to get the dinner ready for my parents to visit.

So far the place has been interesting but I wasn’t completely sure about the photographic potential. Then again, I have to keep reminding myself that this is not a photographic holiday! It’s an easy mistake to make but my wife helps me remember.