Photo by @JimRichardsonNG | Heather spread across the glen at Mar Lodge Estate, carpeting the hills in purple in the Highlands of Scotland. It was glorious to see, not just because the shafts of sunlight were spotlighting the beauty of the Cairngorms, but also because we (Paul Tomkins was assisting me on this story) had been looking for it for a week across Scotland—and here it was. I was in a delirious panic to capture the light fleeting as fast as a fox down toward Braemar. Landscapes in Scotland do not hold still, daring you to see them in their moment. Heather-covered hills are the iconic landscape of the Scottish moors, favored by the estates because heather supports grouse populations. Today the debate in Scotland is over whether the heather should be reduced so that Caledonian pine forests can make a comeback. Follow me @jimrichardsonng for more Scottish adventures. #scotland #cairngorms #heather #mountains @natgeotravel @natgeoimagecollection @natgeofineart
