London-based food and travel writer Laura Rowe joined photographer Andrew Tobin on the Isle of Skye for a photography retreat at Kinloch Lodge. Between wild weather and wildlife spotting, hearty dinners and restorative cocktails, they discover the art of ditching the distractions.

Where is it?

Kinloch Lodge is tucked away on the less-tourist-trodden Sleat Peninsula on the Isle of Skye, to the west of mainland Scotland. It’s the former home of the Macdonald clan and first began welcoming guests 54 years ago, with acclaimed food writer Lady Claire Macdonald and her husband Lord Macdonald at the helm. If you’re flying to Scotland, Inverness is the closest airport. The drive from the airport has plenty of its own photo ops, including Loch Ness and movie-favourite Eilean Donan Castle.

What's the accommodation like?

Lady and Lord Macdonald’s daughter Isabella now welcomes you at the door, and she’s possibly the warmest host we’ve ever encountered. In one breath we’re offered sandwiches stuffed to the gills with Scottish smoked salmon, as well as sugary shortbread and steaming hot toddies; in the next, we’re encouraged to get in our robes and nap in front of the fire.

My room, one of 18, overlooks the loch – uninterrupted, except for seals and elusive otters. Each room is individually decorated, and you’ll find a mix of family heirlooms (including oil-painted portraits and a family tree dating back to the 11th century), antiques and tweed. Laura Thomas Co toiletries make for heavenly scents.

What did you eat and drink?

Scottish chef David Cameron is on the culinary decks, and he changes the menu daily. Kickstart with creamy, spiced pinhead porridge, followed by buttery scrambled eggs tumbled with peachy flakes of hot-smoked salmon. For dinner, foraged Skye and Scottish produce is treated classically – red deer venison tartare is smoked with juniper; Drumfearn mussels luxuriate in a garlic cream bath. General manager Danny McDermott serves up wine and charm.

What is there to do?

We’re here to experience the Skye Photography Retreat and each excursion is a bespoke, one- to three-day itinerary tailored to your technical ability, interests and kit. We pootle around the isle in Land Rovers, bypassing tourist hotspots such as the Fairy Pools and Old Man of Storr (because it’s easy to take great pictures there, says Andrew) for secret, locals-only locations. We hoick ourselves into an abandoned church; we squat low on a cobbled bank, using lichen-covered rocks as the foreground to Dunscaith Castle; we clamber down rugged dolomite to master long exposures. We also make spontaneous stops for curly horned black Hebridean sheep, big-boned shaggy cows, and tea and cake.

We’re joined by another main character – the weather. We see all seasons in one day – downpours, hail, sunshine and rainbows – and finish with an editing session at the Kinloch bar, where we work on our favourite images with a smoked old fashioned. Andrew is a poetic and generous teacher, enriching every landscape with his tales and his tricks. It’s hard to tell which of our shots are taken with the professional kit and which with our iPhones, thanks to his guidance.

What do I need to pack?

All-weather gear, including warm layers, waterproofs, hats (woolly and a cap) and hiking boots. Cameras are optional – Andrew’s kit or your phone will do.

Lasting memory

Double rainbows over scotch-coloured waterfalls – handily captured forever, thanks to Andrew’s photography masterclass.

Sainsbury's Magazine insider tip

Skye is famed for its seafood (including lobster and langoustine), so don’t skip the scallops. They are huge, hand-dived, tender and sweet.