By September in the north of Scotland, it’s really noticeable how much earlier darkness is gathering. The sun is already down several hours earlier than in late June when, although the sun does go down behind the horizon, it doesn’t get completely dark. Time to re-visit some of the long summer evenings which provided some lovely sunsets.
Late in May there were fires on the moors around Melvich in Sutherland. The smoke from these drifted all around the north coast as the winds blew in one direction and then another. The smoke particles may well have aided the intensity of the sunset on this gorgeous evening, viewed from above St John’s Point at East Mey.

Late on a Friday night in June I was driving home past Dunnet Beach; a fantastic 3 kilometre long sweep of beach and dunes between the villages of Castletown and Dunnet. As the sun went down a stunning light developed and it was crying out not to be missed. Teenage kids decided to stay in the car playing with their phones rather than enjoy this…


St John’s Point at Mey is a favourite spot of mine and I was back there again late in June to shoot the beautiful sunset. The Orkney island of Hoy was largely obscured by mist hugging its hilly interior, just the cliffs visible. This is common as air from the Atlantic Ocean meets its westerly cliffs, rising and cooling quickly.
Although there is a path down to St John’s Point from the road I have rarely seen anyone else there. This evening was spent in quiet solitude with the sun, sea, birds and camera.


Scarfskerry is a small village on the Pentland Firth coast between Dunnet Head and John o’ Groats. There are several small harbours hereabouts (Ham and Harrow are within a couple of kilometres to west and east respectively) and each is scenic. Late in the evening I noticed the light changing as the sun, about to set, descended below a storm cloud, highlighting the rain and the undersides of the clouds and reflecting off the unusually peaceful sea.


See the map below for the locations of these photos. There are more photos below the map. All photos can be viewed as a slideshow by clicking on one of the images below.
The gorse flowers are a beautiful deep yellow in May The Tower o’ Men o’ Mey sea stack with Dunnet Head beyond The sun setting off the wonderful Orkney island of Hoy Dwarwick Head from Dunnet Beach The jetty at the tiny Scarfskerry Harbour on the Caithness coast of the Pentland Firth A late evening sky over the Caithness village of Scarfskerry The Orkney island of Hoy from above Scrabster lighthouse, Holburn Head (in the foreground) A couple stroll along the shoreline at Dunnet Beach as the sun descends A storm passing over the Pentland Firth late on a June evening A long exposure view across the Pentland Firth to Hoy shrouded in mist Just another sunset over the Pentland Firth from St John’s Point near Mey Sunset reflections on the wet surface of Dunnet Beach Stunning late evening light over Dunnet Bay in June Late May sunset over the Pentland Firth
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