Assynt and Coigach - A Landscape Shaped by Time

22nd to 26th October, 2008
Places Available. Difficulty Level: Easy

The landscape of the Assynt and Coigach is unique. Its defining feature could be described as an 'ancient quality' and for good reason - the mountains are amazingly one billion years old but even more amazingly they are standing on a bedrock of Lewisian Gneiss some three billion years old.

These rocks are amongst the oldest in the world sculpted during the last ice age into the familiar mountains shapes of Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, Canisp, and many others. Whilst these hills fall well below the height of Munros, what makes them so interesting from a photographic perspective is their diversity of shapes and perspectives - Suilven the most westerly of the Assynt mountains dominates the surrounding landscape. It has the remarkable ability to change shape from different directions - from the west it appears as a great rounded dome, from the east the ridge is greatly foreshortened and from the north and south the entire linear ridge is unfolded.

Standing at close proximity to the sea the temperate maritime climate has a huge influence on the area and can change conditions rapidly and in doing so often creates the conditions for great photography. The light found in the northwest Highlands is often superb and when combined with the diversity of mountain shape, photographers have the potential to capture rare moments, which will never repeat themselves exactly.