PHOTO TOUR TO HARRIS AND LEWIS IN SCOTLAND

Please note! Below you’ll find a description of how the program may look. The daily schedule and locations we visit will be adapted each day based on weather, light, tide conditions, and the interests of the group. Each evening we will discuss and plan the following day’s itinerary to ensure we take full advantage of the most compelling photographic opportunities.

Day 1: Arrival in the Outer Hebrides – Transfer to Tarbert
You arrive on afternoon flights into Stornoway Airport, where the group will meet at 3:00 PM and transferred by minibus to our base in Tarbert, on the Isle of Harris. It’s a beautiful hour-long drive through a wild landscape of open moorlands, scattered lochans, rocky hills, and glimpses of the sea.
After settling into our cosy and welcoming accommodation, we’ll gather for a group welcome dinner, a chance to meet one another and share what each participant hopes to gain from the workshop. Garth will talk about our plans for the week and talk about some of the areas we will explore together. Depending on arrival time, there may also be an opportunity to enjoy a short local photo session before dinner.

Day 2 to 6 (or 7): The Photo Workshop Experience
Our photographic focus on Lewis and Harris is as much about creative exploration and atmosphere as it is about documenting these extraordinary landscapes.
Each day, we will adapt our plan to suit the conditions. With weather, light, and tide changes playing a huge role in this landscape, flexibility is an asset so we will plan each day to take advantage of the changing and dramatic weather and light that the Outer Hebrides is famous for.
Throughout the week, Garth will offer individual instruction and creative suggestions, both in the field and during evening sessions. There will be time to discuss approaches to composition, light, visual storytelling, filter use, long exposure techniques, and post-processing.
Possible photographic locations include:

• The sweeping white sand beaches and turquoise waters of Luskentyre, Seilebost, Scarista, and Horgabost.
• The Callanish Standing Stones – among the most iconic and important prehistoric monuments in Britain.
• The sculptural sea stacks of Mangersta and dramatic coastal cliffs of west Lewis.
• The remarkable Stac a’ Phris sea arch and the crashing waves at the Butt of Lewis.
• The twisting Golden Road and wild, rocky east coast of Harris.
• The North Harris mountains and inland lochans.
• Atmospheric scenes of abandoned croft houses, peat-cutting landscapes, and stone boundary walls.
• The historic harbour village of Rodel and Northton Salt Marshes, full of abstract compositional opportunities.

Some sessions will focus on grand, expansive landscapes; others will help you slow down and work intimately with texture, form, and light. The islands are a landscape photographer’s dream.
Evenings will offer a chance to review images, share experiences, explore post-processing techniques, and relax with your new photography friends as we plan for the next day’s adventure.

Day 7 (or 8): Final Morning and Departure
We will have breakfast at the hotel and then take the minibus to Inverness airport where we will start the return journey home. When you arrive home, you will look back on a spectacular photo tour and you will definitely have a hard drive full of memorable images and a spirit restored and inspired by the beauty you have shared with your colleagues.

Cost

This trip can be booked starting from £2,798 based on shared accommodation.
Single Room Supplement: £200
(launch offer discount of £200 on your invoice when booked for 1st February 1st 2026)

Room Options

• 1 person – in a shared twin room:
  If you book this option, you will share a room with another person of the same gender. The room will have separate beds.
  If no one of the same gender is available to share, you will be charged the single room supplement applicable to a private room.

• 2 persons – twin or double room:
  Booking a twin or double room is ideal for couples or two friends travelling together.
  Please indicate in the comments field when booking whether you would prefer a double bed or twin beds.

• 1 person – single room:
  This room is for your sole use. A single room supplement applies.
  You may also be allocated a twin room for sole occupancy — in both cases, the same supplement applies.

What’s Included

• Transfers to and from Inverness Airport;
• Welcome dinner on the first evening;
• 6 nights’ accommodation;
• Full board (starting with dinner on day 1, ending with breakfast on day 7);
• All local transport during the trip;
• Guidance from a professional landscape photographer;
• Pre- and post-trip participant meeting;
• On-location image review sessions;

What’s Not Included

• Any flights — we can book this for you if you wish;
• Personal purchases;
• Single room supplement (€225);
• Alcoholic and soft drinks;
• Travel and cancellation insurance;

Pracitcal Information for Your Photography Trip

Participants Meeting

Well in advance of the departure date, we will hold a participant meeting to help you prepare for the trip and to meet your fellow travellers. For those who are interested, we can also arrange a post-trip gathering to share and review each other’s work.

Accommodation

We’ll be staying for the full duration in a warm and comfortable guesthouse in Tarbert, ideally located for exploring both Harris and Lewis. The accommodation is well-suited to the needs of photographers, including flexible meal times and space for image review and group discussion.

Fitness Level

This trip is not physically demanding — we won’t be covering long distances on foot or climbing steep mountains. However, the rough terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions can feel challenging at times. It is possible to experience three seasons in one day.

Outbound and Return Travel

You will need to purchase a return flight ticket to Inverness for this trip. This is not included in the tour price.
Once the minimum number of participants is confirmed, we will send you an email with flight recommendations. If you prefer, we can also book the tickets for you — please let us know.

Local Transport and Flights

On-site transport:
Transport during the trip will be by minibus or passenger cars.

Checked and Hand Luggage:
Checked luggage on flights is usually limited to 23 kg per person. Your photography equipment (excluding your tripod, which should be checked in as hold luggage) should be carried as hand luggage.
Airlines also have restrictions on the size and weight of hand luggage — please check your airline’s website for details. In addition to your camera backpack, a small shoulder bag or laptop bag is usually permitted. However, it is best to store your laptop in your camera backpack if there is room.
You can carry extra weight on your person — for example, by wearing a camera around your neck or using a photo vest or jacket with strong pockets.

Soft Bags or Suitcases:
To make travel easier — both on the flight and during photography outings on the islands — it’s important to keep your luggage to a minimum. Soft bags or flexible suitcases are preferable, as they are easier to stack and transport.

Equipment and Materials

For this trip, we recommend bringing lenses suitable for landscape photography — wide-angle, standard, and short telephoto zoom (roughly between 16 mm and 200 mm). Depending on your interests and specialisation, a longer telephoto zoom may also be useful for wildlife photography. Additionally, please bring:

• A sturdy tripod (important due to possible windy conditions);

• Filters (polarising, neutral density, graduated ND, and Big and/or Little Stopper);

• Remote shutter release;

• Spare memory cards;

• Extra batteries;

• Backup storage for your photos.

Climate and clothing

When planning and choosing clothing, we need to consider strong winds (possibly storms) and frequent showers. Warm, waterproof clothing (rainjacket, rainpaints, rainhat) and good footwear (waterproof hikingboots and rubber boots) are essential. As is well known, you can experience three seasons in a single day. That’s what makes this trip so appealing to landscape photographers: exciting, threatening skies, exceptional light, and then suddenly mild weather.

Vaccinations

For the latest information on mandatory or recommended vaccinations, please visit the website of your goverment for travellers advice.

Passport and Visa

Travelers from outside the UK need a valid passport and must apply for an electronic travel authorization (ETA).