Scotland — Two Weeks, 3,108 Kilometres & A Lot of Lighthouses
Updated: Oct 9
August 2023
In August 2023, we set off for a two-week road trip around Scotland. The plan was simple: see as much of Scotland as possible, take photographs and hopefully avoid getting lost. We managed two out of three!
We started in Edinburgh and headed west, eventually making our way up to Durness and then across to John o' Groats. From there we took a day trip to the Orkney Islands which very nearly didn't happen after Storm Betty decided to make the sea rather unfriendly. Fortunately, we got there the following day.
We then headed south down the east coast, deliberately avoiding most of the larger cities and concentrating on the coastline, smaller towns and, for me, the endless supply of lighthouses. In total we drove more than 3,100 kilometres.
There were plenty of photographic highlights along the way. The Forth Bridges at sunrise were spectacular, while Duncansby Head provided dramatic cliffs, sea stacks and its lighthouse. Bow Fiddle Rock at Portknockie was another favourite, as were the many lighthouses we discovered along the east coast.
I particularly enjoy photographing lighthouses before sunrise, when the early light can turn an ordinary scene into something quite special. The weather was surprisingly kind to us for most of the trip, the roads were good and the locals were friendly.
It was very much a combination of road trip and photography adventure. Some mornings started at 4.30am, some roads seemed to consist mainly of passing places, and there were a few occasions when Google Maps and I had different ideas about where we should be going.
We eventually finished our journey in Berwick-upon-Tweed, just over the border in England.
A fantastic trip, some great photographs and enough lighthouses to keep me happy for quite some time.