Glen Nevis lies in the west of Scotland, surrounded by some of the most impressive mountains in the country. The glen itself is also home to a rare patch of beautiful woodland that is now being carefully managed back to health by a partnership of local landowners and charities.
It's also where I fell in love with the Highlands. As a kid my eyes were always turned outside, but it was coming here at the age of 14 that opened them to how amazing this country really is.
I never pass up the chance to visit the glen if I am passing by. Like most places I try to look well beyond the spots that are well known, and since I was a kid many of those places are now very popular with tourists.
Still it's easy to get away from the crowd and into real nature here. With a little imagination you could believe yourself the only person in the glen.
On one of those occasions I was searching the glen for something new and special. It's rarely on the first visit to a new spot that you find magic, but as I crested the hill, breathing hard, I spotted this beautiful pine in the distance. It was perfectly backlit against the wintery mountains, and a pretty easy capture once all the hard work had gone into getting there.
What I really love about this shot is that it is so simple. It is a colour shot, but barely. There is nothing to distract you from the lovely shape of the pine and the grandeur of its setting.
wonderful shot!! love the simplicity of it! It is also a VERY good reminder that every once in a while (more often than I think...) it is a good idea to not touch that Shadows slider and let parts of the image be entirely black - it really contributes to the atmosphere