Highland winter; a week in Assynt

The area of Assynt is located North of Ullapool in one of the most beautiful mountainous areas of the Scottish Highlands. Its rugged landscape and many lochs create a fascinating foreground to the many iconic mountain peaks such as Suilven, Stac Pollaidh, Cul Beag and Cul Mor.  This week-long workshop will find us enveloped in this dramatic landscape at the most dynamic time of year.

Workshop leader Mark Banks will be on hand throughout each day offering advice, tips and tricks to help you get the most out of this incredible location.  During the week Mark will also give informal demonstrations of image processing and offer image review sessions for participants.

 
We will be based at the Royal Hotel in Ullapool where dinner, bed and breakfast and packed lunches are included in the price. Transport to all locations will be provided throughout the duration of the workshop. Mark Banks will be assisted by Mark Reeves for logistical and safety reasons during this workshop.

No mountains will be scaled on this workshop but a moderate level of fitness is required due to some locations being elevated with short inclines. However, all locations have been carefully selected for their stunning views, safety, convenience and ease of access.  Most locations to be visited will feature uneven rocky terrain and so this workshop is unlikely to suit most people with limited mobility. However, please contact Mark Banks to discuss further if you would be interested in attending.

Assynt is a very sparsely populated region and so facilities such as toilets are very few and far between, particularly in January.  Whilst proper toilets will be visited when possible, in most locations large boulders will represent the best option.

Please bring / wear:

• Camera, charged batteries, memory card
• Tripod
• 6- and 10-stop neutral density filters (if you have them)
• Graduated neutral density filters (if you have them)
• Warm and waterproof clothing suitable for the weather, location and time of year
• Walking boots
• Wellies
• Grippers / microspikes for wellies (wet rocks can be very slippery)
• Umbrella
• Torch / headtorch

This event will be subject to public health advice and, as such, is liable to potential postponement or cancellation. If it is cancelled, full refunds will be made.  Please see our cancellation policy below for further details.

Covid-19

In the light of recent developments, the latest government guidance and leading industry practice the RPS Landscape Group has adopted the following updated guidelines for events involving meeting in person.

• Before attending one of our workshops or events please take a lateral flow test and do not attend if the result is positive.
• Unless you are medically exempt you are encouraged to be fully vaccinated (i.e. 2 vaccinations, plus a booster if applicable) to attend one of our events. If you are not fully vaccinated (for whatever reason) you must follow rigorous social distancing measures including:
  • maintaining a physical distance of at least 2m from other participants and the event leader whenever possible
  • wearing a face covering whenever it is not possible to maintain such a distance
  • following any other social distancing and infection prevention measures and advice issued by relevant public health authorities.
• You must not attend any event if you have symptoms of covid-19 or have had a positive covid test result within the last 14 days.
• The event leader may ask you to wear a face covering at certain times e.g. while indoors or while any tuition necessarily takes place in close proximity to the tutor or other participants. Unless you are medically exempt you must comply with the event leader’s requests.
• Decisions regarding the implementation of these precautions will be those of the event leader, taking account both of current government guidance or regulations and, if this would lead to a more cautious approach, common sense. The event leader's decision will be final.  If you are not willing to comply with any such instructions, please don't book a place.

You should take out insurance to cover cancellation in the event that you contract Covid-19 and are unable to attend.

Your data

Please note: your personal data (name, email address and telephone number) that you supply when booking an event will be passed to the event / workshop leader in order to enable them to:

• contact you in advance of the event to remind you or notify you of joining instructions (or changes thereto) etc.
• contact you at short notice before or during an event in case of any emergency or last-minute changes (eg because of weather).

By booking this event you are deemed to consent to this transfer of your data.