Field Notes #1 | Journey to a Hidden Highland Loch
There are still places in the Scottish Highlands where you can spend an entire day without seeing another person.
This wasn’t a planned photography trip. It was a reconnaissance to find out whether a remote hill track was suitable for taking the Argo deeper into the hills for future filming and photography. As is often the case, a simple recce became an adventure in its own right.
“This was never meant to be a photo trip.”
So I hitched up the trailer, loaded the Argo and headed into the hills.
The Landrover track gradually climbed away from civilisation until there was no phone signal and, more importantly, nobody else.
That was probably my favourite part of the day.
I flew the drone several times along the route, partly to scout ahead and partly because the scenery was too good to ignore.
The wind was stronger than expected and for a couple of minutes I genuinely thought I might be heading home without a drone.
Fortunately, low flying and using the terrain brought it home.
Eventually the loch appeared.
Hidden away amongst the hills exactly as I’d hoped.
Worth every bump in the track.
The trip also confirmed something useful.
The route works.
That means I’ll be back—probably with more cameras, better light and a lot more time.
From Today’s Trip
Things I learnt
The track is suitable for the Argo.
Wind on the plateau is stronger than it appears from below.
Plenty of drone launch sites.
Return at sunrise or sunset.
Bring the hydrophones next time.
Bring the Timelapse camera rig.
Equipment Used
🚁 DJI Mini 3 Pro
🎥 GoPro HERO13
🚜 Argocat
📱 iPhone – Behind-the-scenes clips and quick snapshots
Every trip is different, and so is the equipment I carry. The cameras, drones and accessories used on this outing are all part of the kit I rely on in the field. If you’re interested in the equipment behind the photographs and videos, along with my thoughts and recommendations from real-world use, you’ll find everything on my Equipment page.