The Nevis Pine

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.