Gleneagles, and Danial Gresly gets his photo taken by Denise Mezger before the start

It's hard to believe that only two weeks ago we were now on the second day of photographing the 'Malts', and heading for the Isle of Syke.

Day one had gone well, our recce on the Saturday before had found some good locations, and besides the start from Gleneagles we had caught the cars three more times that day. We even had time to pop in to the lunch halt at Airth Castle.

Our planning paid off on Day 2, and we caught the cars three times during the day, including the afternoon regularity after Fort William, RS2E Crium Leacairn, which had caused a few problems on the snowy 2012 LeJog. On that occasion we had only managed to drive to the first corner, the frozen snow turning to ice, and as it was just before midnight, none too warm!  Having then finished photographing the cars and halfway through packing the cameras away we were suddenly surprised to see several competitors, including a Mini, returning the way they had come as the small climb at the end of the regularity was impossible to get up.

Difficult to imagine this ice and snow covered on LeJoG. (Leaders Mark & Sue Godfrey in their MGB)

Driving it now in the late April sun-shine we discovered the small climb and found it hard to imagine the chaos the weather then had caused.  In fact it made a nice backdrop, blue sky and yellow gorse in the background, time for the polarizing filter!

The end of the day saw the event cross to the Isle of Skye via the Glenelg Ferry, and fantastic experience.

Competitors get a boat ride on the Glenelg - Skye turntable Ferry

Next morning the event restarted with a test on/at Skye Airport, with fantastic views all around as the backdrop.

The Cuillins in the background of the Skye Airport Test

The most Northerly part of the route was today, and standing by the side of an A Road would not normally seem like an ideal location for getting photos of rally cars.  But despite my loathing for white lines in my pictures, the A835 running besides Loch Glascarnoch on its way to Ullapool is a fantastic location, especially when the weather gives a great backdrop.

the A835 and Loch Glascarnoch

The penultimate day saw a new venue to HERO being used as a test venue, Cameron Barracks in Inverness.  With impeccable timing the recruits finished their morning 6 laps of the parade ground just as the course car arrived.

08-SM14_4134Cameron Barracks, and the 'locals' taking an interest

The first 4 days had passed in a blur of locations, for the last day we needed to get all the right ingredients, a good view and the light in the right direction. After dismissing the first regularity and test, no views, it was after the second regularity, Loch Garten, on the road to Balmoral that we found the best spot.

Richard Dresner & Colin MacKenzie on their way to 3rd O/A, what a backdrop! After that it was off to the finish back at Gleneagles Hotel and later that evening a fantastic Awards Dinner in the Ballroom.