The magic of Skye - images added.

[David Paterson]

Th Isle of Skye undoubtedly has some magic and several NG members have expressed an interest, both on the forum and to me privately. One of my current projects is about the Coulins, Skye's major mountain range, where I think the magic has its origin. So I'm posting some images concerning winter and climbing in the Coulins. Nearly all date from the early-mid '70s and were shot on Kodachrome film, using Nikon FE and FE2 cameras. One was shot with a Hasselblad and one with a Pentax 67 (these, using Fuji Provia film).

I will follow up later with some "landscapey"-type images.

[Jakov Minić]

Dave, these are lovely images!

[simato73]

Magnificent!

I am hoping to do some of the easiest of the Black Cuilin when I go with some friends next April.
A bit later than our usual winter Highlands, unless some late snow comes I expect them to be show-free by then.
In what time of the year did you take these photographs?

PS: It is hard to believe, looking at these pictures, that none of these peaks reaches 1000m of altitude!

[Akira]

Just looked up Isle of Skye in Wiki.  The island seems to be full of wonder both in terms of the history and the landscape.

Marvelous scans, as always.  Keep posting, please!

[Hugh_3170]

So true Akira - magnificent indeed.  Thanks David for letting us peak into your archives - most enjoyable.  Height is certainly no indicator of ruggedness with these mountains.

I am assuming from some of the metadata associated with these images that you used your D800 and a copy stand of some kind to digitise them.  Certainly has worked well for you/us here.


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I think that just about every kid that has grown up in one of the current, or even former, British Commonwealth countries ended up having to learn and sing the Skye boat song, although in my final years of high school our version had been reengineered by our creative lads to include some very rude and naughty lines! Bonny Prince Charlie was not held in universal esteem it seems.

Just looked up Isle of Skye in Wiki.  The island seems to be full of wonder both in terms of the history and the landscape.

Marvelous scans, as always.  Keep posting, please!

[armando_m]

Outstanding series

[David Paterson]

Thank you Jakov, Simone, Akira, Hugh and Armando for your kind comments - much appreciated.

Hugh - yes, I built a simple copy-stand and have been using the D800, 50m f1.8 and various close-up attachments to make these copies. My rather ancient Polaroid film-scanner has become extremely noisy and I can no longer get it serviced or repaired anywhere in Europe. And of course you are right about "Bonnie Price Charlie" who turned and ran when the going got tough.

Simone - several expeditions are represented in the series, all taking place between Feb and April of various years.

[tommiejeep]

Very nice Dave,
The detail in #9 is really wild from a scan
Cheers,
Tom

[David Paterson]

Very nice Dave,
The detail in #9 is really wild from a scan.

Thanks, Tom. That image is the one which was shot on Pentax 67 and the scan was made before my film-scanner went bad.

[David Paterson]

The Coulins main ridge can be seen from many parts of Skye, and it's quite a large island. Here are a few -

1. From beneath The Storr in ne. Skye
2. From near Dunvegan, nw. Skye
3. The north-east peaks from Bruach na Frithe
4. Blaven and Clach Glas from the main ridge
5. Sunset over the island of Rum, from Sgurr Dearg
6. The Coulins from Glen Brittle
7. The Coulins from sw. Skye
8. The crofting township of Tarskavaig in summer
9. Tarskavaig in winter
10. Sunset over Skye from the Scottish mainland

[Hugh_3170]

David, another magnificient series. 

When I saw this series I was prompted to dig out a CD and play "Tangle of the Isles" (sung by Billy Connolly no less), where he sings of the Far Coulins/Cuillins and the Blue Isles.  Your images provided great context for the lyrics.  And tangled isles and coastlines in that part of Scotland they are (notwithstanding that 'tangle' refers to bunches of seaweed).

[David Paterson]

Thanks, Hugh.

Many people, including me, have a life-long love-affair with Skye and the Western Isles. "Once bitten, ever smitten" as the old saying goes.

[simato73]

Many people, including me, have a life-long love-affair with Skye and the Western Isles. "Once bitten, ever smitten" as the old saying goes.

I know Skye nowhere near as well as David, but I completely agree with his statement.

[David Paterson]

One final image - my regular climbing parter back in the day, Tim, tackling the first pitch of Waterpipe Gully in the northern Coulins. (No prizes for guessing how the gully got its name!)

The 450m gully rises from the floor of Coir' a' Mhadaidh (Foxes' Corry) and when we climbed it in early May, the upper pitches were full of iron-hard snow. This made for some interesting moments, as we had no snow-and-ice-climbing equipment with us.

[simato73]

You can definitely tell the climbing gear and clothing is from another decade