Heart of theSCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
2027 Creative Retreat - Isle of Skye 
SCOTLAND 2027
DATES: May 13 - 19 (7 days / 6 nights)
HOSTED BY: Lizzy Gadd & Kris Andres
PARTICIPANTS: 6 maximum (1 SPOT LEFT)
PHOTOGRAPHY LEVELS: All levels
PHYSICAL RATING: Intermediate/Difficult
(participants should be able to hike on average between 5-10km per day, sometimes on uneven, rocky, muddy terrain with up to 400 meters of elevation gain)
COST: $6100 USD (or $8500 CAD)
+2.9% transaction fee for international payments made outside of Canada.
(payment plan available)
*Please read all the retreat information below before submitting your application.
Why THE Isle of Skye?…
The Scottish highlands truly have some of the most magical, raw, rugged, and wild landscapes in the world. It’s a timeless land where you can feel its ancient history… where you can walk the terrain of medieval times, discover the legends of the local faeries and folklore, and let your imagination soar with storytelling ideas and possibilities.
For me (Lizzy), Scotland has been my home away from home for over 15 years now. I find myself pulled back to this country yearly, and have spent many weeks trekking and exploring across the highlands through mud, rain, wind, sun and snow - and still find myself falling more in love with the wild weather and this mythical land every time I visit.
The Isle of Skye in particular holds a special place in my heart. With its enduring mountains and unique rocky features, beautiful beaches and seaside cliffs, rivers and pools and mountain lakes, intimate faerie glens, crumbling stone walls and highland cows, ancient bridges and paths, old seaside towns with good pub grub and cute cafes serving coffee and cakes… how could I not be drawn back at every opportunity?
May has become my absolute favourite time of year to be in the Scottish highlands. The days are long, the mountains and fields are just bursting with fresh new greenery, the weather isn’t quite as brutally cold/wet/windy as usual (in fact, May has often blessed us with some absolutely beautiful weather), locations are not as busy as in the summertime, there’s adorable baby sheep everywhere, and it’s just before midge season begins for the rest of summer… so yes, we have carefully planned the timing of this trip to get what we feel is the very best of everything, and we are so excited to share all these very best things with you!
Read on for more information, and watch this little video from our past Scotland retreats to see what’s waiting for you…
This “hikers edition” retreat is open to anyone in any level of photography.
In fact, you don’t even have to be a photographer. You could be a painter, a writer, a musician. You could simply be a nature-loving human looking to hang out and be inspired!
This particular creative retreat is a more of a “hikers edition” compared to our previous retreats in other places. All of our favourite locations on the Isle of Skye involve hiking anywhere between 5-10 km round trip each day - often over slippery, rocky and boggy “pathless” ground with significant elevation gain (up to 400 meters), and possibly in very windy and rainy weather. We highly encourage anyone who applies for this retreat to be aware of these facts and to prepare yourself physically to be able to reach these stunning places (but you do always have the option to take “break days” to explore at your own pace or to stay behind at our lovely lodge…which is already situated in the most beautiful mountains on Skye!).
Our goal is to help you achieve the dream experiences and images you want to create. We will be thrilled to help you out however we can: Whether by demoing how we shoot, helping you set up your own shot, modelling for you, having props available (yes, I’ll be bringing lots of props and dresses!), and even image editing sessions together back at the lodge. We want this retreat to be an inspiring experience and collaborative effort, so if there’s anything you want to learn from us, please just ask. We’re here for YOU!
TESTIMONIALS
What our participants from previous years have to say:
“What an unforgettable experience! Thank you Lizzy and Kris for creating something so deeply meaningful, inspiring, and soul-filling. From the breathtaking places we explored, to the beautiful friendships and connections that were formed, every moment felt special. This retreat gave me space to reconnect with myself and feel creatively reinvented in ways I didn’t expect. My heart feels so full from the laughter, chats, adventures, and shared experiences with such amazing humans. So grateful for the love, intention, and magic you poured into every detail. This is something I’ll carry with me for a very long time.”
-Vivian
(Scotland 2026)
“Lizzy and Kris are both so amazing and do such a great job of bringing together epic locations, the best people, and such an inspiring blend of creativity and fun. I appreciate these workshops more than you’ll ever know. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
-Nevin
(Scotland 2026)
“An incredible experience of friendship, inspiration and creativity in Skye! I find that one of the most enjoyable things on these retreats is not the photos but the amazing people I get to meet and get to know over the few days we’re all together. Until the next time (because there will always be a next time)!”
-Jenny
(Scotland 2026)
“These retreats are an absolute gift. I am so grateful I took that first step, joined, and chose to prioritise myself. Each retreat fills my cup in so many ways. I leave feeling recharged, grounded, and full of joy. It gives me space to breathe, reflect, and reconnect with myself in a way I had been missing. If anyone reads this and is unsure about going - this is your sign to do it for you! Kris and Lizzy have an amazing way of bringing wonderful people together who share a bond like no other. What a gift. Thank you.”
-Becky
(Scotland 2026)
“Thank you for another unreal week. These retreats are the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, and the connections with the group and the inspiration and the creative momentum last so much longer than our short time together. I feel so incredibly lucky to have been able to join you, meet all these beautiful people, and fill my heart with experiences that are helping build a whole new dimension of who I am.”
-Kelley
(Scotland 2026)
“Thank you Kris and Lizzy for holding the most beautiful space on this retreat. To be in the presence of kindness and warmth, to feel the safety that you both created - it’s proof of what can happen in these spaces. I’m leaving the trip feeling like me again. I’m creative. I’m love. I’m joy. I hope you know the impact of of what you’re doing, like, deeply feel it, because it’s important work. Supporting the ability for us to be seen in all kinds of ways and to be celebrated for that. What a gift.”
-Sherri
(Scotland 2026)
“A truly unique and unforgettable experience. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, filled with moments and memories that I will carry with me for a very long time. Kris and Lizzy are both deeply inspiring, not only in creativity and talent, but also in the care, thoughtfulness and generosity they brought to every part of this retreat. I learned so much from both of them, and I am leaving feeling grateful, inspired, and full of new ideas.”
-Lilac
(Scotland 2026)
“I had the pleasure of attending a workshop with Lizzy on a trip to Scotland. All I can say is if you have the chance to work with or learn from Lizzy you should! Her knowledge and passion for photography is evident in everything she does and really come across in the way she interacted with the group. She really showed me the value of adding people to my landscape photography and really helped me elevate my photography game to the next level. She has technical knowledge as well as business and social media knowledge and it all really helps when she breaks it down. It also helps that she’s a lovely person to be around and just gives off good energy and was always patient and willing to help out on an individual basis or the group as a whole. Again, I highly recommend attending a workshop with Lizzy as I’m sure you can gain valuable knowledge and experience from her and she can definitely help raise your photography to the next level.”
- Shawn
(Scotland 2019)
RETREAT INFO
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
-6 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATIONS
We will have our very own private lodge in the heart of the highlands on Isle of Skye. 2 people will be sharing each bedroom - we will pair you with a partner, friend, or a participant of the same sex.
-DAILY BREAKFASTS, SOME LUNCHES & SNACKS, SOME DINNERS
We will keep a large selection of breakfast foods and coffee/tea at home base for you to help yourself to, as well as some snacks and sandwich materials for you to make your own lunches to bring on our adventures! We will also cover a couple of home-cooked dinners during the retreat.
-ALL GROUND TRANSPORTATION WITHIN SCOTLAND DURING RETREAT
We will choose a pick-up point in Inverness for the start of the retreat, and then you’re riding with us in our 8-passenger van for the rest of the week! We will also drop you off in Inverness (or at INV airport) at the end of the retreat.
-MISTY ISLE BOAT TRIP FROM ELGOL TO LOCH CORUISK
One of the most epic days! We will get an hour-long boat ride tour on the beautiful Misty Isle boat (fingers crossed to see dolphins, whales and seals if we’re lucky!), before we’re dropped off in the true highlands, far away from any crowds. We will then have 7 hours to hike and explore before the boat returns to bring us back.
-OUR UNENDING ENERGY & GUIDANCE TO HELP YOU CREATE YOUR DREAM IMAGES AND EXPERIENCES
Both out in the wild and at our lodge during photo editing sessions, we’re here for you!
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?
-ALL FLIGHTS
-TRAVEL INSURANCE
Participants must have trip cancellation/interruption insurance, as well as emergency medical/illness insurance and rescue coverage.
Please note that we cannot offer refunds for emergencies and trip cancellations (you can read more about our cancellation policy near the bottom of this page).
-SOME SNACKS AND MEALS
Although we will supply breakfast foods at the lodge, and some basic build-your-own sandwich materials and snacks to take with us on our hikes, we will also be eating out for some lunches or dinners. You will be expected to buy your own meals when we eat out.
We will also stop at the local grocery store almost daily during the retreat, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to pick up any other food items that you’re particularly fond of.
-ACCOMMODATION BEFORE OR AFTER THE RETREAT
We cannot cover any accommodations outside of the dates of the retreat - however, we do recommend that you arrive to Inverness a day early to avoid possible flight delays on the day the retreat begins.
MEET YOUR HOSTS
Partners in photography, love and life, we are:
LIZZY GADD
Retreat creator/host
Lizzy is a self portrait artist/photographer from BC, Canada, with a deep love for traveling and hiking around the world. She feels most at home in the mountains, forests, fields and ocean - all of which are heavily incorporated into her photography.
With her calm and grounding demeanour, Lizzy strives to create ethereal images that evoke peaceful solitude and portray the beauty of matching one's heartbeat with the beat of nature.
When she’s not creating or immersed in the depths of nature, you can usually find Lizzy nerding out about dogs somewhere, or relaxing on a couch while lost in a fantasy novel and eating too much chocolate.
KRIS ANDRES
Retreat assistant/energy booster
Originally from Alberta, Canada, Kristopher considers the Rocky mountains (along with everywhere he travels) to be his home. Kris is always up for endless adventures with a smile, no matter how "atmospheric" the conditions may be. He will be overly excited in almost everything he does in life, capturing each story with the click of a shutter in any and all genres.
With a passion for teaching photography and encouraging others, Kris also leads photography workshops around the globe through his other company OFFBEAT.
When he’s not adventuring or creating, Kris loves to spend his time cooking & baking gourmet meals, as well as refining himself through practicing yoga.
HOME BASE
During this retreat, our home base will be at the private Sligachan Lodge - the entire lodge all to ourselves! Set in a beautiful location in the heart of Skye and nestled right below the Cuillin mountain range, this place is one of the most magnificent sights on the island.
The lodge includes 4 bedrooms (2 beds and a private bathroom in each), a fully equipped kitchen, a large sitting area, free WIFI, laundry facilities, and a beautiful back garden with views overlooking the mountains.
This home base is perfectly central to our favourite places on the Isle of Skye, which are all within an hour’s drive in any direction from our lodge.
The lodge is also literally on the doorstep (or, trailheads) of our favourite hiking trails, providing lots of opportunity to explore directly from our home base. It is also only a 3 minute walk to cross the charming Sligachan river and Old Bridge to reach the local restaurant & bar for some hearty Scottish pub grubs (vegan & gluten free options also available)!
ITINERARY
*SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH WEATHER, TIMING AND EVENTS.
THE BEST MAGIC HAPPENS WHEN WE KEEP A FREE FLOWING MINDSET!
WHERE WILL WE GO?
We will plan to do one “hike of the day” location everyday, allowing ourselves several hours to hike, shoot, create and explore around that particular location. Depending on participant energy levels on some days, we will also add a second “easy” location in the later part of the day.
Most days will involve leaving our lodge relatively early (anywhere between 4am to 8am depending on location and weather each day). This ensures that we will get the best possible conditions for sunrise light or foggy atmosphere, as well as providing time to have places to ourselves ahead of other tourists. A few of our locations (such as the Old Man of Storr) can get extremely busy later in the day, so we will start those locations early to give ourselves lots of creative time ahead of the crowds. We also have some lesser known (but even more beautiful) “secret” locations, where we can spend many hours far away from crowds!
Some of the main locations we plan to spend time at include:
-Old Man of Storr: 6 km round trip, 300 meters elevation gain, an endless playground for photographers. May be worth coming back to twice.
-The Quiraing: Approx 5km with up to 200 meters elevation gain. Worth coming back to at least twice to explore in different directions and different light.
-Neist Point: Easy, oceanside cliffs and lighthouse - perfect sunset spot.
-Talisker Beach: 3.5 km round trip walk, easy straight path.
-Loch Coruisk & Sgùrr na Strì/The Peak of Strife: Biggest day - involves taking an hour boat ride tour (and maybe seeing dolphins if we’re lucky!) from Elgol to our trailhead, where we’ll be dropped off in the true highlands for 7 hours all to ourselves, far away from any crowds! We will hike approximately 8km round trip with 400 meters of elevation gain for stunning views over the mountains and Loch Coruisk.
This hike is difficult “pathless” terrain over slippery rocks, grass, mud and steep hillside. Participants who don’t want to hike all the way up “The Peak of Strife” are welcome to stay at easier lower elevations and explore the stunning Loch Coruisk before we all reunite to catch our boat ride back to Elgol.
-Secret Locations: We have several more stunning spots far away from the tourists that we can’t wait to share with you!
-DAY 1
11am: Pickup time! This retreat officially starts in INVERNESS. About a 3 hour drive away from the Isle of Skye, Inverness is the closest city with an airport. We will choose a pickup point in the city to meet everyone before we begin the drive to Skye.
Note: We highly encourage you to arrive at least a day ahead of the retreat to avoid any possible travel delays, which can happen frequently. We will not be able to wait for you if your flight is delayed, since we have a 3 hour drive ahead of us to reach our accommodations on Day 1. Arriving a day early gives you a great opportunity to explore the charming Inverness city!
12pm: Hellos, introductions, begin the 3 hour drive to Skye. We will stop at a cafe along the way for lunch.
4pm: Arrival at Sligachan Lodge, our home base for the week. Unpack, settle in, explore our beautiful home base/Sligachan valley at your leisure!
5pm: Gather around for our official welcome speech, safety talk, itinerary for the next day, and to learn more about what YOU hope to get out of this week. :)
6:30pm: Dinner at the local pub (3 minute walk across the Sligachan Old Bridge).
Evening: We will stay around home base for the evening. You’ll have options to shoot around Sligachan river, the Old Bridge, and the surrounding valley trails during the evening light (sunset is at 9pm).
(Please note that locations and timing for Days 2-6 could be completely rearranged depending on weather and participant energy levels)
-DAY 2
Morning: Wake up between 4-6 am (we’ll let you know the night before what time we plan to leave). Enjoy coffee and breakfast, pack snacks.
We’ll plan to head to The Quiraing for the entire morning! Expect to spend anywhere between 4-6 hours here (maybe more?). There’s lots of options to shoot and places to explore on the trail.
Midday: We will stop in Portree (the main town/fishing harbour on Isle of Skye) for a couple of hours to have some lunch and enjoy the sights of town. There are some great cafes, fish & chip shops and gift shops to explore before meeting back at the van to return to home base.
Afternoon-Evening: Hang out and edit at the lodge. We will make a home-made dinner for everyone. Feel free to stay up and shoot the sunset, or head to bed early so you’re rested for our earliest start the next day!
-DAY 3
Morning: Wake up by 3am. This will be our earliest start of the whole week. Have some coffee and breakfast, pack your snacks/lunch, and then we’re off to hike up to Old Man of Storr for sunrise (5:00am). You can expect to spend anywhere between 4-7 hours here.
Midday-Afternoon: Return to home base to relax, edit, hang out.
5pm: Early dinner at the pub across Sligachan Old Bridge.
7pm - sunset: Options to shoot around the river and old stone bridges near the lodge.
-DAY 4
Morning: Wake up by 6-7 am. Enjoy coffee and breakfast, pack lots of snacks and lunch. We will leave the lodge no later than 7:45am for today’s particular adventure… our biggest hiking day of the week.
9am: Catch our Misty Isle boat ride from Elgol to Loch Coruisk, where we’ll be dropped off to hike in the more isolated and rugged highlands for the next 6-8 hours, with our goal to reach the Peak of Strife: 8km round trip with approximately 500 meters elevation gain and incredible views over the ocean, mountains and Loch Coruisk!
Afternoon: Hike back down to catch the Misty Isle boat ride back to Elgol. OR, for those who prefer to keep hiking, you can hike directly from the Peak of Strife all the way down the stunning Sligachan Valley, ending right at our home base. This option adds 12km extra to your day.
Evening: Sit back, relax, eat, rest those legs! We will plan to either make a well deserved home-cooked dinner or eat at the restaurant across the bridge, depending on what time we all return to home base.
-DAY 5
Morning: Sleep in - you deserve it after several early starts and big hikes in the first half of the week! We’ll spend the morning relaxing around the lodge, a great opportunity for visiting, eating, and catching up on editing lots of photos.
Midday-Afternoon: Depending on where the weather looks best, we will either head to Talisker beach, or back to the Quiraing to explore the opposite side of the dramatic hills and mountains.
6:30pm: We’ll eat dinner at a restaurant on our way to a sunset location.
8pm - sunset: Sunset at either Neist Point Lighthouse, or at some lesser-known sunset facing seaside castle ruins.
-DAY 6
Same routine as the day before, but going to the opposite places of wherever we went yesterday!
-DAY 7
6am: Wake up, have breakfast, clean out the lodge, pack all belongings and load up the van.
8am: Checkout of home base and begin the journey back to Inverness, stopping along the way at a quiet, secret location with beautiful castle ruins.
1pm: A final lunch together at a cafe on the way to Inverness.
3-4pm: Final goodbyes and drop-offs. We will either drop you off in downtown Inverness (likely at the train station), or take you directly to INV airport if you’re flying out that evening.
WHAT TO EXPECT
FOR WEATHER / PHYSICALITY
The average temperature in Scotland at this time of year will be around 13°C (55°F) during the day, and around 7°C (45°F) at nights/early mornings. Some days might feel significantly warmer and summery, but other days could feel much colder, especially if it’s windy and rainy and when hiking at higher elevations. We suggest bringing warm layers (and waterproof/windproof outer layers!) so you can maximize your comfort during the long hours of shooting and exploring. Weather in Scotland can vary greatly day to day (as they say there, if you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes), so you should expect some of everything: hot sun, cold rain, wind, hail, fog, and hopefully magical moments of stillness between it all!
As for physicality levels, we have rated this retreat as “intermediate/difficult” because there will be a few locations that involve hiking between 5km-10km (3-6 miles), with elevation gain anywhere between 100-400 meters per day. While some trails are steep but still relatively easy on wide gravel pathways, there will still be other locations where we’ll be “wayfinding” our way over sections of pathless ground, involving steep and uneven rocky terrain, tall grass and mud… you’ll get to experience the famous Scotland mountain bogs firsthand! Please make sure you are prepared with good water resistant hiking boots and trekking poles. We recommend boots tall enough for good ankle support and to keep mud out.
COST / PAYMENT PLAN
TOTAL COST: $6100 USD (or $8500 CAD)
+2.9% transaction fee for international payments made outside of Canada.
We will send you an invoice for each payment the week before it’s due.
1ST DEPOSIT OF $2033 USD (or $2833 CAD)
DUE WHEN YOUR APPLICATION IS ACCEPTED
2ND PAYMENT OF $2033 USD (or $2833 CAD)
DUE NOVEMBER 10th
FINAL PAYMENT OF $2033 USD (or $2833 CAD)
DUE FEBRUARY 10th
CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY
No one wants to miss out on a trip of a lifetime… but we understand these things do happen. In those situations, the following applies…
The first thing to note is that deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable if we can find someone else to fill the vacancy. In addition, all cancellations are subject to a $200 service charge to cover transaction fees.
Any cancellations within 90 days of the retreat cannot be refunded since it is extremely difficult to fill a spot on such short notice. However, IF we DO find someone to fill your spot last minute, only then would you be entitled to receive a refund (minus the $200 cancellation processing fee).
*By submitting your application to attend this retreat, you are acknowledging that you accept these conditions.
APPLICATION TO ATTEND
This retreat is different from most photography events because not just anyone can sign up. We like to be very careful about who and what kind of energy we surround ourselves with, especially for such small retreats where we’ll all be very close together for the duration of the week.
In particular, we are looking for kind, easygoing humans who can hold a level of empathy for those around them, and who are willing to go with the flow with plans/weather changes (which happens frequently in Scotland). If this sounds like you, we would LOVE for you to fill in this application to attend!
*If we approve your application, we will reach out to you within the week! Please note that we might not be able to respond to everyone due to the volume of applications.
*If your application is accepted, you will hear from Lizzy within the week from this email address: lizgadd@gmail.com
Please make sure to check your spam inbox as our application responses often end up there.