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The Caledonia Collective

People Inspired by the Scottish Landscape

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Author: David Russell

David has centred his life around a deep love for Scotland's Highlands, which grew from his experiences mountaineering and kayaking while studying at the University of St Andrews. First moving to the Cairngorms in 2010, he spent the next ten years working in the adventure tourism industry as an instructor, guide and travel consultant. After being made redundant during the coronvirus pandemic, he decided to dedicate his time and efforts on his passion for the Scottish landscape. Now working as a self-employed landscape photographer, writer and guide-for-hire, David brings a high level of knowledge about Scotland's natural habitats and history to the table. Creatively, he is best known as a photographer of the Caledonian Forest, and also creates video and writes moving accounts of nature. Recently, he has also taken to landscape painting, inspired as always by the woods of Strathspey. View David's Website: https://highlandwildscapes.com
Up and Down Days, Part Eight: Commitment
Art, Painting, Prose, Writing

Up and Down Days, Part Eight: Commitment

“…one never quite knows the mountain, nor oneself in relation to it.” “One walks among elementals, and elementals are not … Continue reading Up and Down Days, Part Eight: Commitment

Up and Down Days, Part Seven: The Bad Day
Hillwalking, Long Form, Prose, Writing

Up and Down Days, Part Seven: The Bad Day

I think that when people talk about having ‘adventures’ we generally mean doing something active, bold, possibly a little risky, … Continue reading Up and Down Days, Part Seven: The Bad Day

Up and Down Days, Part Six: Cold Forged
Hillwalking, Landscape, Long Form, Photography, Prose, Writing

Up and Down Days, Part Six: Cold Forged

The day I enjoyed on An Teallach with Doug, Jack and the others was one of the best hill days … Continue reading Up and Down Days, Part Six: Cold Forged

Up and Down Days, Part Five: The Smiddy and The Forge
Hillwalking, Long Form, Photography, Prose, Writing

Up and Down Days, Part Five: The Smiddy and The Forge

Part Five: The Smiddy and The Forge In the morning gloom of another tiny hut somewhere in the Highlands, I … Continue reading Up and Down Days, Part Five: The Smiddy and The Forge

Up and Down Days, Part Four: Cold Mountain
Painting, Prose, Writing

Up and Down Days, Part Four: Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain’s full of strange sights Men who go there end by being scared. Water glints and gleams in the … Continue reading Up and Down Days, Part Four: Cold Mountain

Up and Down Days Part Three: Zero to Hero
Hillwalking, Landscape, Long Form, Photography, Writing

Up and Down Days Part Three: Zero to Hero

The annual Burns Night trip to Skye was usually the highlight of the mountaineering club calendar. The third weekend in … Continue reading Up and Down Days Part Three: Zero to Hero

Long Form, Painting, Prose, Writing

Up and Down Days, Part Two: Muppets on a Mountain

If you’re going to do any hillwalking or mountaineering at all in Scotland, then one of the most fundamental things … Continue reading Up and Down Days, Part Two: Muppets on a Mountain

Hillwalking, Landscape, Long Form, Painting, People, Photography, Writing

Up and Down Days, Part One: The Bay of Water

For many years I’ve liked to tell people that I have an ‘up and down’ relationship with Scotland’s hills. Partly … Continue reading Up and Down Days, Part One: The Bay of Water

People, Writing

Thoughts on The Darkest Day

Hi. If you’d rather listen to this post than read it, then here is an audio recording. The full text … Continue reading Thoughts on The Darkest Day

Landscape, Photography, Writing

Today Was a Gift

A few days ago the first snows of winter arrived on the mountains. There was a hard edged clarity of … Continue reading Today Was a Gift

Landscape, Long Form, Prose

Come Further Up, Come Further In

“Over the garden fence, behind the railway and the cherry trees, the Cairngorms are waiting. They should be more than a mere background to life.” Continue reading Come Further Up, Come Further In

Blog

Thoughts on Launching the Caledonia Collective

It’s a few days since we launched this new thing called the Caledonia Collective. After months of chat, set-up work … Continue reading Thoughts on Launching the Caledonia Collective

The Oaks of Sunart
Landscape, Photography, Prose, Writing

The Oaks of Sunart

As soon as the man on the phone stopped shouting at me and hung up, I made up my mind … Continue reading The Oaks of Sunart

Land the Person
Prose, Writing

Land the Person

It occurred to me the other day, while I was walking up a hill through long grass beneath shady birch … Continue reading Land the Person

Glen Torridon and the Awe of Time
Landscape, Photography, Prose, Writing

Glen Torridon and the Awe of Time

On a cloudy October morning in 2008, I quietly opened the door of Ling Hut, where we had arrived in … Continue reading Glen Torridon and the Awe of Time

Looking Closely at Things
Landscape, Photography, Prose, Writing

Looking Closely at Things

One of the great joys that photography can bring you is the ability to notice things that other people can’t … Continue reading Looking Closely at Things

A Portfolio of Water
Landscape, Photography

A Portfolio of Water

A while ago I wrote about the wonderful way in which looking at the natural world will teach you to … Continue reading A Portfolio of Water

‘The Woods’ Video – A Collaboration between David and Hamish
Music, Video

‘The Woods’ Video – A Collaboration between David and Hamish

This is where it all began, the first collaboration between David and Hamish on Hamish’s latest album – The Woods. Continue reading ‘The Woods’ Video – A Collaboration between David and Hamish

Wood and Water: A Passion Project from the Caledonian Forest
Video

Wood and Water: A Passion Project from the Caledonian Forest

Over the course of a year I collected footage from the Caledonian Forest of the Cairngorms National Park to compile into a short film. I wanted to show the unbelievable diverse beauty of Scotland’s ancient woodlands, in every season and type of weather. Continue reading Wood and Water: A Passion Project from the Caledonian Forest

Introducing The Caledonia Collective
Blog

Introducing The Caledonia Collective

Well hello there! We figured we have to start somewhere, so we decided to write a post about who we are, how we came together, and what this is all about. Continue reading Introducing The Caledonia Collective

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