I was in Yangon last year, and posting to my Instagram stories. Through the interactive voting and slider bar, Bryan answered unexpectedly (and kind of strangely) to some of my stories. Suspecting he was a bot, I clicked into his profile to take a gander. Now that I have met him, I can confirm he is not a bot.

Upon inspecting his profile, I discovered an amazing photographer, who regularly posts my favorite things about my favorite country: Scotland.

My favorite things about Scotland:

1. Castles,
2. Large, expansive landscapes,
3. Lighthouses,
4. Hilly coos,
5. Cute bothies.

Ok, there is one more thing. PUFFINS. His Instagram feed has lots of puffins in Scotland!

That’s when I more or less decided the next time I came to Scotland, I would take a photography tour with Bryan.

Note: This post is a little text heavy, so I’m just going to sprinkle in photos I took during this trip. If you ask me, I think my photography and editing skills have greatly improved following this trip and guidance from Bryan. But that’s kind of a little humble brag. I’ll let you decide.

1. Arranging a photography tour, with lockdown looming

Those who read my blog regularly know that I was in Scotland for the full duration of their covid-19 lockdown – from March 17 to early August. I remember emailing Bryan enquiring about a puffin photography tour on my layover in Dubai, on my way to Scotland. “It’s a little too early in the year for puffins, I’m afraid. But there are other options we could do.” Sad face. By that time in March, who knew how long I’d be in Scotland for?

A few days later, we had just decided on an alternative trip (to the west coast!) when the First Minister of Scotland announced lockdown measures effective immediately. SAD FACE.

What ensued over the next few months as time passed, the Scottish government would make an announcement. And with immediate swiftness, I would message Bryan a combination of “what do you think lockdown easing means for 1-on-1 private tours?” and “PUFFINS?” (Ok, probably not exactly like that, but that’s how the memory plays out in my mind…)

When the Scottish government finally announced Phase 3 of reopening for July 15, any guesses on the first person I messaged: Bryan Millar Walker. And for what reason? Puffins. Within a few messages, we came up with a tentative 2-day itinerary, which included the West Coast of Scotland and a day shooting puffins. Excitement!

2. A Private Photography Tour (safety first!)

I think some friends were surprised and mildly concerned that I took a private tour (and two days at that!) with a stranger that I followed on Instagram. Of course, I don’t want to diminish safety concerns, especially as someone who regularly travels alone. But I wouldn’t do anything I wasn’t entirely comfortable with.

I mean, the same could be said when I went on a tour hosted by Twins that Travel, Instagram-famous travel bloggers, to Morocco (in March 2019) and then again to Turkey (in September 2019). But what I find assuring about both Bryan, as well as Claire and Laura from Twins that Travel, is that their personalities come across in their Instagram. You can tell that they are genuine, real people. Funny, amusing, and kind of don’t take themselves too seriously.

To get to know Bryan’s personality, he has this Instagram highlight entitled Bloopers. Give it a watch – that’s basically him. There is also a story that sticks out in my mind, where he goes hiking up a mountain for sunrise, and is left with a thick cloud and mist, where you see absolutely nothing. I mean, I sympathize. That is literally every single sunrise hike I’ve done (I’m 0/3).

These little things gave me a sense of relief, that he was a real person (and not a bot) who seemed genuine and kind enough to potentially spend 2 days with.

I’m not saying everyone with funny and amusing things on Instagram are nice people. I think I lucked out, because Bryan and I actually got along really well. He was just as personable and amusing as his Instagram suggests he is. This meant that there was little to no awkwardness in the 2 days we spent in pretty close proximity.

3. My 2-day (personalized) itinerary, by Bryan Millar Walker

Much of my itinerary was customizable. As Bryan would say, he’s really easy going, and it’s really up to me to decide. He gave me the option of customizing how many (or few) hikes, castles, waterfalls, etc, I wanted to see. I also had the choice between one or two days of puffins. What you have below, is Lannie’s personal photography wishlist of Scotland. To see the full itinerary, click here.

Day 1 – West Coast, with Glencoe

1. Bryan picks me up in Glasgow (depart 07:30)
2. The Jacobite Steam Train at Glenfinnan Viaduct
3. Hike to Steall Falls
4. Loch Achtriochtan Cottage
5. Kingshouse Hotel (Stags and Deer)
6. Blackrock Cottage
7. Kilchurn Castle
8. Overnight in Oban (arrive 20:00)
9. Dinner, a dram and Lightroom editing

Full day! The webpage itinerary is a little different, because it rained on us THE ENTIRE DAY the first day, so we modified our plans a bit. Being rained on the whole day is not ideal, and the goal was that I didn’t end the day curled up into a ball in tears from rain exhaustion. (Great goal for any day, really…) Spoiler alert: goal achieved!

There was a lot of time spent in the car on the first day. As is my character, I thought I should be as direct as possible with Bryan with one thing that would potentially drive me insane.

Sometimes, when you’re out on tours, the guide happens to be a photographer too. They’ll bring you to a place, so you can replicate a specific shot that’s famous. Sometimes, they’ll even take your camera and take the photo themselves, just so “I” can get “the shot.”

As I explained this to him, very clearly, I said, “Please don’t do that. I don’t want a shot that you’ve composed, or that everyone else in the world does. It’s not the way I see the world, and it’s not how I want these two days to go.”

Bryan, as easy going as ever, completely understood. Photography to him, is what you see, how you feel in that moment. Capturing your mood and your own perceptions of a place. That’s probably why his photos have this air of mystery and magic surrounding it. That’s the world (I think) he feels he lives in. Almost dream-like and full of wonder.

Day 2 – Isle of Mull, Staffa and Treshnish Isles

1. Ferry from Oban to Isle of Mull (08:00, return 20:01)
2. Boat to Staffa & Fingal’s Cave
3. Lunga and the Treshnish Isles – PUFFINS!
4. Back to Glasgow, via Oban by 22:00

A lot of boats on day 2. But the main star of the show… THE PUFFINS.

When we arrived to the Isle of Mull in the morning, we were supposed to call to confirm our boat to Staffa & Lunga. We found out that the boat was cancelled due to high winds and choppy waters. So crushed. Sure, the Isle of Mull probably has its own excitements and things to photograph but PUFFINS.

We were able to find another boat service that would bring us from Tobermory to Staffa & Lunga. But instead of the 4 hours on Lunga, it would only be an hour and a half. Ok fine, but tell me I can see a single puffin and I’ll do anything just for that. They warned us – it would be extremely choppy. And boy was it. People got drenched in the waves, people got sick. I don’t even know how long this went on. 2 hours? A lifetime? You need to brave all of this if you want magical puffins at the end of your boat ride.

Thank you for your patience! Now…

4. PUFFINS IN SCOTLAND!

For those who don’t know much about these elusive, yet adorable creatures, puffins are seabirds. This means that they live almost the entire year on the open ocean, and only come to shore for a few months to find a mate and breed.

When the puffin meets their mate, they bring their mate back to their home burrow, where they were born. This, of course, begged the question – whose home do they return to? Is it the male puffin or the female puffin? Anyway, I digress.

The Atlantic Puffin’s breeding season is between late-spring and August. The adorable Scottish seabird nest in clifftop colonies, digging burrows, where a single, white egg is laid. And that single, white egg leads to… you guessed it – baby puffins!

I spent my time on Lunga, photographing puffins standing around and trying to keep myself steady from the howling wind. Bryan, on the other hand, was determined to check things off his puffin photography bucket list. Things like… puffins flying, with fish in its mouth. This includes tracking a really fast flying puffin overhead, with a camera lens that quite honestly weighs almost 5 pounds! For semi-amateur photographers like myself, it was like umm.. I think I’ll stick with the stationary targets.

Speaking of fish though… just a random story for a laugh. I mentioned before, puffins are sea birds. So they eat, you guessed it, fresh fish from the ocean. There were some other people near us trying to lure puffins closer to them with… what? bread. mmm, let me eat some day old bread instead of fresh fish from the ocean. No, thank you. The puffins obviously didn’t fall for it.

(P2) Hey look. That guy is throwing us bread.
(P1) – Say what?!

5. Parting Thoughts on my tour with Bryan Millar Walker

In the end, I had a great time with Bryan. At no point during the tour did I feel uncomfortable or weary. Some of the places he took me to were only a few stunning examples of nature and wildlife in Scotland. But not only that, I managed to see these beautiful puffins live, in person.

On the technical side, I learned more of the manual settings on my camera that I never bothered to experiment with. We also spent some time after dinner the first night to go through our photos in Lightroom. Alongside teaching me different ways to edit photos, we talked about how we see our own photos and what our own style is. I don’t know how he sees my photos, but I see his as wanting to showcase this magical, ethereal realm that is Scotland.

The magical Scotland of Bryan Millar Walker.

On a less technical side, I was in lockdown in Scotland for 4 solid months with only one friend and housemate. Although we kept both our sanity in check, we were never sure how it would be to re-introduce other humans back into our lives. It’s a funny thing to consider, honestly.

Coming out of lockdown, Bryan was the first person I spent any time with 1-on-1. And what a genuinely nice person to spend two days with. We pretty much talked and laughed the whole time. There were times where I laughed so hard, I cried. I’d like to think that we ended the trip, not as two strangers, but as two friends.

A wise man once said:

When you photograph puffins, the biggest challenge is not filling your Instagram feed with only puffins. I wake up in the morning, edit photos of something else, just so I can post another puffin photo in a few days.

Bryan Millar Walker, expert puffin photographer and extremely wise man.

And as someone who has now photographed puffins in Scotland once, I too have this problem. I want to flood my feed with puffins, but then I feel the need to have some semblance of balance, and spread out the puffin photos. The struggle is real.

Get in Touch with Bryan Millar Walker

If I’ve inspired you to do a photography tour in Scotland, or specifically a puffin photography tour, there is no better person to go with. I can’t recommend Bryan and distinct.scotland enough. Don’t forget, all of his tours are fully customizable. Feel free to check him out below:

Bryan Millar Walker, from distinct.scotland

Website
Email

• Twitter
• Instagram

P.S. I was in no way sponsored for this post. All opinions are my own. Just wanted to share my experience and of course, puffin photos.

If you’re looking for more ideas for your Scotland trip, how about:

• a 10-day Scotland Road Trip, covering Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Skye, from my friends Highlands2Hammocks;
• Visiting Scotland’s only pyramid in the Highlands;
• Doing whisky tastings on Islay, Scotland’s magical whisky island;
• Taking a road trip on the North Coast 500;
• or Discovering Scotland through a food tour in Edinburgh! (discount offered!)

Or, if you’re determined to search for the elusive Atlantic puffin (fratercula arctica) on your own, try the following places:

• Isle of May
• Lunga (in the Treshnish Isles) where we were!
• Duncansby Head (though, I tried on my own and failed!)
• Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve
• Handa Island
• Sumburgh Head, Shetland

Other information on the atlantic puffin can be found from the Scottish Seabird Centre.

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

In June 2019, I returned to Scotland after a year and a half away. Previously, the Beast from the East greeted me with a fever and frigidly cold weather. This return to Scotland was much better, but filled with rain. I mean, well, Scotland. To be expected, I suppose. While the purpose of my trip wasn’t to go up to the North, I had a few extra days after my friend left, and I do enjoy random, remote destinations, so the North it was!

1. Road trip along North Coast 500 (NC500)

It was a spur of the moment decision, and I didn’t do much research before hand. I had never heard of the North Coast 500 (or NC500, for short) until I arrived. For those who don’t know, the North Coast 500 is a 516 mile scenic route around the north coast of Scotland. The Tourism Project Board of the North Highland Initiative launched NC500 in 2015. Parts of the route go alongside the North Highland Way (a 150 mile hiking trail).

Your NC500 road trip begins and ends in Inverness (near the bottom, around the number 69 above), which divides into six regions: Black Isle, Caithness, Easter Ross, Inverness-shire, Sutherland, and Wester Ross. This trip, I spent most of my time in the Caithness region (up north, at number 24 above). But I did drive that full length of the right side from Inverness and back, and it’s a beautiful drive. Of course, you can do your own North Coast itinerary – but we all have to start somewhere. And Caithness was the section for me!

Also, I wish I had discovered the North Coast 500 website prior to going, but alas. There seems to be a lot of information on the area, with nice recommendations. But, no one ever said I was that smart. 🙂

2. How to start your North Coast 500 Itinerary

I rented a car, which is advisable for Scotland. Especially if you want to go anywhere outside the city. And also considering how remote it is outside the cities, it really is a must. Also, the NC500 is a road trip, so perhaps you want a car for that. 🙂

Wick, one of the bigger villages up in the North, is about a 5-7 hour drive from Edinburgh, depending on roadwork, lunch stops, and general driving breaks. It’s a beautiful drive though, mostly traversing wide open Scottish Highlands. But beware – there are lots of windy, one lane roads. You’ll have to be comfortable being behind large lorries until you have time to pass, and passing is always a scary venture.

From Inverness, Wick is about a 2-3 hour drive.

3. My North Coast 500 Itinerary: Where I stayed

By the time I decided to head to the North, I pretty much had a mad dash to book a place to stay. Many places I contacted via email were unavailable. It was last minute and summer season.

I ended up at “The Naze”, which I found on Airbnb. It is a delightful bed and breakfast about 10 minutes drive from John o’Groats and 20 minutes drive from Wick. The Naze offers comfortable rooms and incredible hospitality!

Pasty and her husband, Tony, were the most wonderful hosts. They are a retired couple from the area, who rent out rooms in their house. They enjoy a bit of company and variety in their day. Given how remote this area is, it is really nice to have a chat and a cup of tea at the end of the day.

Let me just say that besides the immense hospitality, the breakfasts at the Naze were just UNREAL. Not shown in the below picture, is coffee, toast, and a croissant. The plate of charcuterie, with salamis and cheeses, was also really delicious.

4. Places and Things along your North Coast 500 Itinerary

The NC500 has gorgeous scenery everywhere you go. It’s picturesque, vast landscapes aren’t the only great things about the North Highlands. There are in fact many things to do and see along the NC500. The below is a list of the places I visited and the things I did.

4.1 John O’Groats

The village of John o’Groats is the most northerly village in Great Britain and the gateway to the Orkney Islands. There was a time between 2005 and 2012 where it was called a “seedy tourist trap” by Lonely Planet and “Scotland’s most dismal town” by Urban Realm. Since then, they village has undergone a transformation. Although it’s not bustling, I wouldn’t be so harsh on it as to call it seedy or dismal. It has its challenges, which I’ll note below. But this is probably the biggest village in the area. Wick (a bigger town) is about 20-30 minutes away.

First thing’s first. John O’Groats does not have a grocery store, but does have a post office (priorities, I guess?). The one day I tried to go to the post office, it was only operating for half a day that day. Low and behold, it was closed. Additionally, while there are places to eat, the only option after 5 pm is the Seaview Hotel.

I cannot emphasize this enough. Either you have food (that you brought with you) or you eat your evening meals at the Seaview Hotel. I went there once during my stay in the North, and while it was definitely hoppin and the place to be, I didn’t find the food too spectacular. But when you’re pressed for options, it’s a decent meal.

I ordered a salmon, as one does in Scotland. I wished the skin would be deliciously and delightfully crunchy, but … it wasn’t.

Besides the Seaview Hotel, a nice cafe is Stacks, which is located near the harbor. Every time I wanted to go, was past 5 pm, and they were already closed. I did manage to go the morning before I left the North. Their cheese scone and chocolate rice krispy treat were AMAZING road trip snacks!!

I didn’t take a photo of the inside of the Stacks itself, but when I went to the restroom, I found this inside, which I GREATLY appreciated. It was taped to the paper towel dispenser. Because let’s get totally real… #MeToo.

Besides the two places I managed to eat, John o’Groats also has a really nice harbor area for a stroll and some fresh air. The ferry to the Orkney Islands departs from the harbor. The above colorful buildings, aka the Inn at John O’groats, is located right at the harbor.

4.2 Duncansby Head

Just outside of John o’Groats, is Duncansby Head. Located at the most northeasterly point of the British mainland, there is a lighthouse and the Stacks. There is a place for you to park your car near the lighthouse, and then you just walk into an open field towards the Stacks. A word to the wise, it is wildly windy and brisk up there, so dress appropriately! Tie your hair up and grab a beanie.

There is a cliffside ravine on the way, where puffins normally are. If you are lucky enough to be there the same day they are! I had no such luck, but I did get to see a variety of other sea birds nesting there.

Finally, the Stacks come into view. It makes the cold, blustery day all worth it.

So, even though the Stacks are obviously rock protruding out from the sea, I’ve never come across sea stacks before. Sea stacks, vertical columns of rock found near the coast, are formed by wind and wave erosion. I thought that little nugget of information was pretty cool!

4.3 Castle of Mey

Further up the coast, you’ll come across the village of Mey, which is home to the Castle of Mey. The castle, which I only know of from Netflix’s The Crown, was purchased in 1952 by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, after the death of King George VI. When the Queen Mother purchased the castle, it was derelict and falling apart. She spent 3 years renovating it before she moved in, and would stay there every year until her death in 2002.

Nowadays, the Castle of Mey is open to the public from May 1 to September 30. In July and August, King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, visit the North Highlands and stay at the Castle of Mey for up to 2 weeks. During that time, the castle is closed to visitors as they take up private residence there.

The King and Queen Consort have also opened up Granary Lodge, a luxury B&B, on the premises of the castle. My Airbnb host heard a rumor that when the King was remodeling the B&B, he spent about 2,000 GBP on a single bathtub. So if you’re looking for a bit of luxury in the north, there you go! Fit for a King!

A 11.95 GBP adult admission ticket will grant you access to the castle, grounds, and garden, with a tour of the castle included. (You also have the option of just visiting the grounds and garden for 6.50 GBP). There are no photos allowed inside, but it was a really great tour. The guide told us wonderful stories of the Queen Mother. She seemed to have a great sense of humor and truly loved living and staying at Mey.

Also, a helpful tip. Since I am always concerned about food, I had originally wanted to eat lunch somewhere before I arrived at the castle. I googled and settled on the Castle Arms Hotel in Mey. Ya, they’re not open until dinner time. The Castle of Mey does in fact have a nice visitor center with cafe, and I ended up eating this delicious cheese scone along with a coffee. So, either plan to eat there, or don’t visit on an empty stomach. You probably shouldn’t expect to find food in Mey afterwards, either. Are you beginning to get a sense of the remoteness of the North Highlands?

4.4 Dunnet Head

Keep heading north, and you’ll arrive at Dunnet Head, another landmark point. Dunnet Head is the most northern point in mainland Scotland and the island of Great Britain. Not to be confused with Duncansby Head, which is the most northeasterly point.

Similar to Duncansby Head, many people frequent Dunnet Head for a glimpse of puffins and other sea birds. I’m sure you can guess that luck was not on my side that day, and although I did see lots of birds along the below cliff, none of them were the adorable puffins I was after.

Want to read about when I finally did manage to see puffins? Check out my post, here!

There were some trails leading away from the lighthouse that I wandered onto, which brought me view of Long Loch and the Loch of Easter Head.

When I left Dunnet Bay, along the B855, I suddenly saw two stacks protruding from the water, and a trail that appeared to go down to them. See them down on the map below? Obviously, I had to stop an inspect.

Part of the reasons I love casual road trips is the ability to stop and explore when the mood strikes. I’m really happy I did. Besides the rain, one of the things I remember most vividly about this day, was the gorgeous light green moss that covered the pier.

4.5 Wick

The town of Wick is further south than all of the above locations. And it is probably the biggest town you will encounter in the remoteness of the North Highlands. On the Google Maps below, I pinned two things in Wick – the Lidl supermarket and Harrold Bros Butcher Shop.

I have to be completely honest – I did not do anything else besides drive through Wick. I’m sure there are things to do there, but I just didn’t have time. But Wick is the place to buy groceries and things. I can’t emphasize this enough – you need to stock up on supplies when you take a trip to the North Highlands. The Lidl has most everything you could need. And I mention the butcher shop because, local butcher shops are an institution in Scotland. I discovered the greatness of the local butcher on this trip to Scotland. When in Scotland, I will probably never buy meats at a grocery store again.

As you may know, for now, I am mostly on mission in Afghanistan. Some things, like great meats, can be challenging to get. I stopped by Harrold Bros before I left and bought a variety of sausages, steaks, burgers and bacon to bring back with me. The butcher kindly vacuum sealed everything with frozen packs, and I popped it into my insulated back from Lidl. I was able to come back to Kabul and mildly recreate a Scottish breakfast with my housemates.

5. Other places to see along this NC500 Itinerary

The below are a few places that I did not manage to go to, but could be of interest to you on your North Coast 500 road trip!

• Dunrobin Castle – you’ll pass by on your way to Wick, from Inverness – arguably one of the most gorgeous castles in Scotland!
• Castle Sinclair Girnigoe – if castles are your thing, the be sure to visit (the ruins) Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, the earliest seat of Clan Sinclaire.
• Old Pulteney Distillery – got a hankering for some whisky tastings? Stop by the Old Pulteney Distillery in Wick.

If you’re looking for camping or even wild camping spots, feel free to refer to this NC500 Camping Guide, from my friend and fellow writer, An Orcadian Abroad.

6. Parting Thoughts on my North Coast 500 Itinerary

Now you have a brief introduction to the North Coast 500, which is arguably one of the best Scottish road trips. In my next post, read about my day trip out to the Orkney Islands, from John o’Groats. The NC500 has different sections, and mine mostly covers Caithness. Whatever NC500 route you choose, a few things to remember:

1. Most sections of the NC500 is in fact quite remote, so in addition to large open landscapes and sheep, the next thing you’ll see in abundance are the same tourists everywhere.
2. Food may be hard to find. Some places close before 5 pm, other don’t open until 5 pm. It’d be best if you went grocery and snack shopping in Wick on your way into the north.
3. Remember that chances are, it’s cold and windy, so bundle up. Warmth is more critical than fashion.
4. Some areas do not have great cell / mobile signal, so consider preparing for your NC500 road trip with a physical Ordnance Survey map of Northern Scotland (includes Orkney and Shetland!).

And last but not least, I’ll leave you with the motto of the Order of the Thistle, which is Scotland’s highest chivalric order:

Wha daur meddle wi’ me.

No one provokes me with impunity. (or) No one can harm me unpunished.

This post nor blogger promotes violence, just merely sharing the national motto of Scotland.

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Starting in Inverness? How about a day trip or two before you head out.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/