Errigal Mountain Wedding Photos Moya + Gavin

Mountains- the definition of a mountain is a large landform that rises above the surrounding land in a limited area, usually in the form of a peak – true but not a very exciting way to describe a mountain and certainly not when you get to stand on the top of an iconic mountain like Errigal in the northwest of Donegal and soak in the mesmerizing vista that surrounds you. There is something humbling about a mountain like Errigal – maybe it’s Errigal’s tall and grandiose appearance or what for me was that initial intimidation I got when I stood at the foot of the mountain and cast my eyes to the summit. But ultimately the most amazing feeling is the one of accomplishment you get when you stand at the summit and you get to appreciate the journey it took to get there. Now to add to all that excitement imagine having an adventurous bride and groom like Moya and Gavin join you on the journey and allow you to take photos of them at the summit in their wedding dress and suit- well I am still in a buzz from the whole experience.

When Moya and Gavin first mentioned that they would love to get some Errigal Mountain Wedding photos at our initial wedding meeting in January my heart jumped and I honestly don’t remember too much else that we spoke about as my mind flooded with images that I could make on such an epic adventure. Then a day later reality hit and I started into some training to make sure when April arrived I was going to make it to the top in one piece and fit to work when I got there! Moya and Gavin are local to Errigal and have climbed it many times- even on Boxing day! – and Gavin has run to the top and back many times for training- no pressure then! Moya and Gavin got married on Saturday 13th of April and it was a very windy and challenging day- you can read the blog on their wedding day here in case you missed it – and we had planned to go up Errigal as soon as possible after the wedding day and on Tuesday evening the weather looked promising for the next day, Wednesday the 17th, so the green light was given and plan set in motion.

I drove up to Glenveagh National Park to meet with Moya and Gavin and videographer Caimin Jacob who was also on board to get some cinematic and drone footage of the adventure. We started in the park early in order to beat the tourists and ensure we had the place to ourselves. The morning was cold and a heavy mist lay low across the land and lough Veagh was barely visible when we arrived. The gardens of Glenveagh National Park are always stunning and we made great use of them and the interior of the castle while we waited for the mist to clear a bit. We got some amazing shots with the lake and valley before packing up and heading down the road to Errigal. Once we arrived I got the climbing gear on and packed all the camera gear I would need and even some gear I knew I would not need but took anyway- just in case!! The initial part of the climb brings you through some bog and the going was heavy but as the steepness increased the ground got drier and the bog made way to rock and scree. The saying “The best view comes after the hardest climb” was in my head so the arthritis in my knee was forgotten about as giddy adrenaline carried me to the 751 meter summit.

At the top I got the chance to really admire the beauty of Ireland and Donegal in particular- no place like it on mother earth. Moya and Gavin were busy changing while I surveyed the beauty of the Derryveagh Mountains. The sky was a deep blue with smatterings of white cloud and the land a thousand shades of brown, green and yellow- just magnificent. The wind at the top was strong but i’m sure that is the case every day up there. We got some amazing shots and had great fun and bar for a few passing climbers had the mountain to ourselves. Time passes quickly when you are enjoying yourself and it was soon time to make our descent and we made sure to stop and admire our surroundings every so often. I hope you enjoy looking at the photos below as much as we enjoyed the journey to making them – the first photo below is my all time favorite photo- it is a 15 image panorama of Moya and Gavin on the summit of Errigal Mountain with the Poisoned Glen and Derryveagh Mountains in the background. The photo itself is huge and I only wish everyone could view it at it’s original size just to see the detail in it. I would like to thank Moya and Gavin for their adventurous spirits and wish them many more days on the mountain tops.

The Castle Gardens are just spectacular and so well kept and no matter what time of year you visit there is always something in bloom Moya looks stunning among the blossomsIt was a great treat to be able to use the interior of the castle for some of our photos and you could easily spend a day in the beautiful rooms with their period furniture and full length windowsThe Mist across the lake and mountains was just amazing and really brought out the earthy tones in the landscapeGetting reflections in water is always a great addition to any photo and the closer you can get your lens to the water surface the better the photo will be and if you have a setting like this pool in the castle grounds then you have a recipe for some great photos

Lough Veagh is such a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains and on this particular morning the hauntingly beautiful mist- it made for such a great photo with Moya and Gavin perched on a rocky outcrop on the lake shore with the misty valley unfolding out behind them

We left Glenveagh National Park just as the sun was beginning to burn through the morning mist and made the short drive across to Errigal. On our arrival the mist had gone and the mountain was seen in all it’s imposing glory, all set for an Errigal Mountain Wedding Shoot.What a view- AMAZINGA quick photo of myself with Moya and Gavin and below of Caimin with Moya and Gavin- a great team

If you are planning your own adventure like an Errigal Mountain Wedding and would like Donegal wedding photographer Fergal Mc Grath Photography to document the fun please use the contact me page of this website to get in touch- I would love to hear your plans.

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