Explore Scotland - with Joe Purmal

From the rocky headlands of Dunnottar Castle to the iconic Old Man of Storr, our friend Joe has captured some of Scotland’s most mesmerising places. Joe is a photographer based in the north east of Scotland whose style specialises in stunning landscapes and outdoor pursuits. We caught up with him earlier this week to take us through some of his favourite locations for you to enjoy.

Marooned by high tides and sandwiched between Strathberg Bay to the north and Rattray Beach to the south, “Rattray Head Lighthouse is renowned as one of the wildest, most secluded places on the coast of Aberdeenshire…it’s a really unique location.”

“Plodda falls is one of the coolest waterfalls I’ve seen in Scotland”. It’s situated 5km south west of the village of Tomich, near Glen Affric. “A stunning walk through the ancient forest made it feel like something out of the Lord of the Rings. The falls are 46m high. Standing over the edge of the platform feeling the power of the natural phenomena and surrounded by beautiful autumn colours was just breathtaking!”

Prince Albert’s cairn is one the eleven stone cairns hidden among the trees in the ancient woods surrounding the Balmoral Estate in Deeside, Scotland. The largest cairn being an impressive pyramid was erected by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband Prince Albert after his death in 1861.

Dunnottar Castle is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a Rocky headland on the north eastern coast of Scotland, about 2 miles south of Stonehaven. “Dunnottar Castle is one of my personal favourite spots and probably THE best place to watch the sunrise in the north east Scotland. Plenty of walks around the cliffs and down to the beach.”

“The Off-Grid Treehouse, knowing it is located at the foot of Scotland’s highest mountain, but still had no idea of the exact spot. After hours of research and countless Pegman drops (google’s little yellow man) on google maps we finally got it! The treehouse is an artist led project, built in 2010 to foster links between creativity and the environment, a multi-purpose platform for the use of local and invited artists. Sometimes it’s the more unfamiliar spots that become a favourite.”

A mountain that needs no introduction - Buachaille Etive Mòr. “This view makes Glencoe one of the best roads to drive in Scotland. Time and time again it just draws you back.”

“The Old man of Storr is one of the most iconic places in Scotland and a must to visit. We got there around 5:30am to avoid the crowds. It’s a relatively straightforward hike up the hill to the viewpoint, but you can tell from the start this place is special.”

Situated on the most northern part of the Isle of Skye, you’ll find the Lookout Bothy. “It’s a 5K round trip from the car park with easy walking path. The weather stayed sunny and dry for us the whole time, which was a rare sight on the Isle of Skye. If you stay a while, visitors say they have been lucky enough to spot some incredible wildlife, from both the sea and sky. This little bothy has easily got to be winning some award for best window views in the UK.”

A massive thank you to Joe for sharing his beautiful pics with us - keep an eye out for more from him in the future! Check out more of Joe’s work on his Instagram.

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