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REVIEW: A year in the life of the Cairngorms by Chris Townsend

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE CAIRNGORMS is a photographic journey through the four seasons of the Cairngorms, from the pinewoods to the plateau as seen through the lens of Chris Townsend.

Chris is a life-long outdoors enthusiast and long distance backpacker, and has lived on the fringes of this remarkable wild landscape for many years. He has vast experience of walking, skiing and camping out on these mountains in all seasons – there could be few who have come to know these hills so intimately. The result is a book with a wealth of photos that capture the Cairngorms in all their moods, often with beautiful dawn or dusk light or a short break in the weather.

The introduction sets the scene but it is really the photoraphs that are the purpose of this book, and the sheer variety of different weather conditions and unusual viewpoints chosen for familiar scenes make the book stand out. The Cairngorms do not have the reputation of being the easiest hills to photograph well but Chris’ wealth of experience shines through in the choice of shots gathered together here.

This isn’t a collection of technically-brilliant landscape shots such as you might find in a book by a Joe Cornish or Colin Prior. Whilst many of the images are stunning, this is due to capturing perfect moments when the light really brings the landscape to life. Here the Cairngorms photographed in a way where each photo is within the reach of skilled amateurs who are prepared to put in the effort to be there in the right conditions – and the book will inspire many to dedicate the time needed to experience this magical range in all seasons and weather conditions.

The book is divided by the seasons into four sections and each has its highlights. Autumn is particularly imaginatively captured but it is the winter light over the frozen plateau that provides some of the most memorable images in the book. At £16.99, A Year in the Life of the Cairngorms is great value for a photographic coffee-table volume – a book to be enjoyed by the fire on those days when the weather really isn’t good enough to venture out.

We have four copies of ‘a year in the life of the cairngorms’ to give away to Walkhighlands users. To be in with a chance of winning, enter here.

You can also buy the book from Amazon via this link – currently at a bargain 30% off.

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You should always carry a backup means of navigation and not rely on a single phone, app or map. Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is every walker's responsibility to check it and to navigate safely.