Weather Forecast, ha... / January 13, 2022 by Carlton Doudney

I should have followed my gut instinct, as I rolled up into the car park in the dark I missed the turning and started off up some track. I knew immediately I’d gone wrong which resulted in an owl like neck twisting as I reversed back down the narrow dark track and back to the parking opening spot. Then the rain started, it was surely an omen.

The forecast stated cloudy for Bridge of Orchy, light snow around 6 am for Stob a’ Choire Odhair, the mountain I was going to climb. Okay it was going to be a bit windy but it should be manageable. Reality, continuous rain, sleet and some snow all carried on a wind which seemed far stronger the forecast. This is the same location as my last story below, how different a day to that one.

In the dark I set off with a positive, hopeful mindset, ‘endure’ I thought,’ it’ll be tough but once on the summit it’ll pay off’. Hmm, the best laid plans.

It might have been showery, but I made good pace to the turn off point for the mountain track, even though the trail was its’ usual claggy, muddy self and with the rain more so, I still made good progress as I hit the zig zag track up the side of the mountain without passing this second turn off like last time.

Here the hard work really started, heavy, wet drifted snow lined the path making it easier to try and keep to heathery sections above the path. The higher I got the worse conditions became. Now having to cross open snow fields, easy if the snow were hard. Mist blew in and out hiding my route above.

I’d been somewhat in the shelter from the wind but now it was starting to tickle the side of my face, the snow underfoot was Creme Brulee , that is a hard crust with deep, soft wet snow underneath. For two paces the crust will support your foot fall, then for three paces your foot goes through and you have to drag it out. Then for four paces support, two paces through and extrication required; so it went on for most of the way to the summit. It is totally exhausting sapping your energy to the core. The dull wet dark world had changed into a bright white misty one as the mountain opened out.

Once on the summit there was about two seconds relief at having made it, but these were completely different conditions to my visit last month. The wind pushed and shoved me constantly and when a strong gust came there was nothing for it but to crouch down and brace, the air sucked out of my lungs. Mist swirled in and out revealing then instantly hiding any view, eye stinging snow showers made me hide my face until they had passed.

The tripod was out of the question, all I could do was up the shutter speed and try for something hand held.

I fired off a couple of shots as the wind jostled me about after first struggling to get my down jacket on, the wind threatening to tear it out of my hands.

I turned to try and repeat a panorama that I’d shot last time but now with a snow clad Stob Ghabhar, I was shooting straight into the wind, the mountain for moments hiding in mist, then revealed for a few seconds. It was an impossible shot with gusts of wind coming more frequently and there was no way I could stay still long enough as the wind treated me like a rag doll.

I was so disappointed, but with regret it was time to get out of here with conditions worsening and it was time to put safety first. Descending should have been easier, but the deep leg grabbing snow was relentless, ankles, knees and hips aching with the constant need to jiggle and drag each leg out of the snowy white traps.

It was a relief to get off of the snow and back on the water logged muddy tracks again and finally back out to the solid Landrover track. Just before reaching the main way out I saw a possible composition, I debated whether I would stop, all I wanted to do was get back to my car, crank up the heater and go home to a hot shower. But I had to do it and captured a shot of the burn (river) named Allt Toaig. I also now had a chance to drink some gloriously hot sweet coffee, I was a bit dry so to speak. Looking back up to where I’d been it still looked nasty and uninviting, today the mountain didn’t want to play.

It rained on and off all the way back to the car, I’d not brought a change of clothing so had to put a plastic bag on the seat so as not to get it too wet, I took solace in that although I’d not taken many photos, at least I’d gotten a good workout.

Weather forecast be damned, I think I’ll hang a piece of seaweed outside my front door, it might be more accurate… :)

Worth The Effort... / December 3, 2021 by Carlton Doudney

I had it in my mind to revisit Stob a’ Choire Odhair, the weather forecast looked promising, so the alarm clock was set for 2 a.m., the gear by the door. On arriving it was crisp and cool with the scent of pine in the air, my boots crunching on the gravely surface of the track. It wasn’t long before I arrived at a small hut not only the turn off point but the beginning of the boggy path which would lead me to the steep, steep pull up the shoulder of the mountain.

I followed the torturous tight zig zagging path upwards, it was relentless in it’s acute angle and it seemed like it would never end. Thankfully the angle eased off and I was high up on the side of the mountain, but not as high as I thought I was. The upper reaches kept on going, it was higher than I remembered and I just had to keep plugging on as the first hint of dawn twilight glowed on the horizon.

Looking over Loch Tulla towards Beinn Dorain

Once on the summit it wasn’t long before I reached for my down jacket, it was freezing cold in a bitter wind that blew across the rocky top.

I’d forgotten how good the views were and with the light constantly changing the tripod was never in one place for long as I looked over my shoulder and there was another composition.

Bidean nam Bian , the summit in cloud but still a little alpenglow

This was surely making up for my last dismal outing where the sun disappeared as soon as I arrived.

A glorious golden sun broke over the horizon side lighting the mountains, my fingers were beginning to feel it, or rather not feel very much as they chilled in the wind. I had to keep thrusting them into my pockets to warm them up.

A little warmth on Clach Leathad and Meall a’ Bhuiridh

I managed to find a spot out of the wind to enjoy my steaming hot coffee and slightly crushed Boursin Cheese filled croissants in an aim to replenish my energy, what a spectacular place to have breakfast. Before long it was time to descend, but it was hard to pull away from the views.

The mountain kept on giving as I descended with new compositions to explore.

The great thing about walking in, in the dark is that you see everything walking out for the first time as in the image above which took a bit of balancing on slippery rocks.

As I walked out a group of stags took in breakfast, not bothered by my arrival. I returned to my car a fair bit later than expected, I’d spent so long on the summit. By the time I was under way the light was beginning to dim, the day hadn’t finished with the opportunities though. As I drove into St. Fillans I just had to pull over, the sunset was just glorious…

What a long day, it was definitely worth the effort of the early start and the tough climb up in the dark, there was one casualty, I fell asleep during the film I was watching back at home, lucky I finished my pizza first… :)

No Particular Place To Go... / October 30, 2021 by Carlton Doudney

Nothing planned. It was a questionable weather forecast whatever direction I headed off in so I jumped in the car well before dawn and headed vaguely in the Glencoe direction, no expectations. When I head out I never know what the weather gods will give me, but in this scenario anything is a bonus.

There was a full moon so I was hoping for some kind of shot under moonlight, always a pleasant change from sunlight.

I was in two minds, to stop or not for a shot of Ben Vorlich, I stopped but had to reverse back a bit, I was hoping for a little more snow on the summit.

I quickly moved on, eyes peeled for other possibilities and soon came to a spot where I’d never taken an image that was satisfying. I was in luck.

Here were the snow capped mountains I was hoping for beautifully reflecting the moonlight, it had to be a panorama of the Bridge of Orchy Mountains. I was here for a little longer than I realised and it was the penetrating cold that saw me reach for the down jacket in my car. With another shot in mind I was glad to be on the road again, car heater going at full tilt. I almost went home wanting to see what this multi shot panorama would look like when stitched together, I resisted the urge.

Buachaille Etive Mor was my next target though the first vestiges of daylight were beginning to show I still managed a shot with Orion seemingly standing in the cloud to the center right of the image.

It was time to break out the coffee, there was still a while until sunrise as I found a spot to stop off in Glen Etive and have a short nap.

It was time to revisit a hidden spot I’d not visited in years and drove right past it not recognising it in the early dawn light. I needed to turn around but the traffic on this tiny single track road was crazy, more like the busy A9 road north. It turned out there was some big construction site and the workers were all piling in.

Heading back I found my missed stop off and togged up for possible showery downpours, mounting the style over the deer fence I enjoyed the tiny remote perch down by the river with it’s seclusion.

My little rock ledge was super slippery and wet, caution was uppermost in my mind, the dark swirling waters were deep and cold, didn’t want to fall in…

With care, my images captured I stopped a while and indulged in some more hot coffee, it was still chilly though sheltered. It wasn’t long before it was time to high tail it back to the car; I could see squally showers threatening. Back in the warmth of the drivers seat I headed out with a view to going home. But I couldn’t resist one more stop off on the way.

The showers passed and I just had to stop, I’ve shot this scene many times before in various ways, but this panorama was just too good to pass up with the dappled light playing across the autumnal moorland.

For an ad hoc day out and ‘No Particular Place to go…’, this turned out to be pretty good, I was looking forward to my next unplanned day out…

The Forecast Looked Grim... / October 10, 2021 by Carlton Doudney

… fog, fog and more fog; that was the outlook, hmm. I went anyway because if nothing else I needed the exercise and I could check out this new location.

Well as it turned out the weather forecast was spot on for once, I arrived at the parking bay and couldn’t see a thing. Garnering my camera bag and with the head torch fired up I set off. It was up hill from the start and in the moist foggy conditions the light from my torch reflected back off the heavy moisture in the air reducing visibility. Head down I pushed on, moisture condensing on my hair and dripping on to my nose, trekking poles click clacking on the hard path, the only noise in the otherwise dampened silence.

Stob Coire Easain floats above the low cloud

Pushing on further checking the GPS for my proximity to the point I’d need to turn off and I duly did so. Pushing, pushing and I stopped for a breather, looked up and wow; I was greeted with an absence of fog, clear skies; a few stars still visible.

There was a temperature inversion, it was a beautiful morning up here, grim dull and dreich down below. All the mountain tops were above the low cloud and I could see my location quite clearly.

A river of low cloud flows down through Glencoe

In one direction the sun was only a distant, warm glow on the horizon, in the other dirction the moon was setting above the mountains of Glencoe.

Like the proverbial kid in a candy shop I explored various hillocks in the vicinity not knowing which way to point the camera first. As the sun started to gain height I ascended the higher hill behind me to see what was over the back, it was a warm ascent.

Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest mountain enjoys the early sun

Gazing over to Ben Nevis the inversion was all around, it felt as though I was on an island. It was soon time to break out the coffee and Croissants and sit in the warmth of the morning sun. The coffee tasted good, the croissants delicious and well earned.

With just a couple of bites left of my croissant I was joined by those ever faithful companions the Scottish midges, my coffee and croissant were finished pacing up and down trying to avoid being their breakfast. It was time to head back down and descend into the murk.

Sure enough I left the warm bright sunshine behind together with the visibility. I made it back to the car, the parking bay full of cars as the day trippers were preparing for the ascent of the various surrounding mountains, what a treat they were in for.

I made a stop off on Rannoch Moor to shoot a panorama the only bright colour in the landscape being the mass off bright red berries on a Rowan Tree.

The weather forecast had been right, what a miserable foggy day; it was great… :)

Spooky Goings On... / August 31, 2021 by Carlton Doudney

There was a chill in the air, the moon was full and high in the dark sky as mist swirled around the great bulk of Buachaille Etive Mor and far down into Glen Etive. A chill ran down my spine as the mist constantly changed shape, wait, was that a howl I heard…?

I worked hastily and practiced with ease as I set up my tripod in the middle of the road, working swiftly I captured these images.

There was one more shot I didn’t hang around and was soon back in the safety of my car, heading for my planned destination.

Well I made it safely to my next stop, I didn’t get bitten and no werewolves were harmed… :)

When the hills give they give it all... / July 13, 2021 by Carlton Doudney

Rannoch moor at around 300 metres high and covers an area of around 50 square miles is one of the most beautiful areas of Scotland, you only have to witness how many people stop while crossing on the A82 to snap a photo.

I always like to take a familiar area and try to find a different view to what most would see and this small hill on the edge of the moor made for a perfect spot.

Covered in lots of small bodies of water Lochan na h-Achlaise and Loch Bà Are the main sights that most will see and are the key points from my little perch. Having visited many times before it was often too windy or it just wasn’t happening weather wise, this outing made up for all the misfires.

It was a short but steep climb up the hill the going hard as there was no path to speak of and I was soon coming to boiling point, getting a brew on as soon as I arrived was much needed. The camp location was spot on with just the right amount of breeze to keep the beasties away and the light show to follow that kept on giving was nothing short of spetacular.

One of the key advantages of having been here before was that I knew roughly where I wanted to shoot, I perused the areas according to time of day and the compositions that I wanted to shoot for sunset and sunrise.

A dinner of pasta bolognaise washed down with lashings of hot tea and it wasn’t long before the colours began to fill the sky.

Sunset was amazing and it was a busy affair with so many possibilities, it was literally breath taking even long after the sun had sunken behind the distant hills.

At 11p.m. it was time to bed down and get a couple of hours sleep, it had been a long day and a little shut eye was most welcome the glow on the horizon at this time of the year never completely giving way.

Oh well, I did say just a couple of hours sleep, at 1 a.m. I was up again, this time to shoot some more, too light this far north for any astro photography with stars, but something else is present in the night sky. Noctilucent clouds or night shining clouds are only visible during astronomical twilight in the summer months and are made up of ice crystals at an altitude of 76000 - to 85000 metres.

Noctilucent clouds never fail to impress but after 30 minutes it was time to hit the hay again, I would be up again at 4a.am. to catch sunrise. I lingered a bit longer to drink in the spectacle.

Up again and I wasn’t disappointed, a temperature inversion saw the whole of the moor and the surrounding area covered in a blanket of low cloud, what a beautiful sight.

Even after the sun had risen the low cloud refused to budge swirling in and around the hills, probably didn’t look so good for those down below.

Finally it was time to catch up on some sleep and crawl back into the comforting embrace of my sleeping bag, I slept for a good 4 hours at which point the sun was high in the sky. It was hot in the tent and I was starting to cook. The cloud had cleared as I emerged for breakfast and it was a beautiful day as I packed up and made my way back down. What an awesome little adventure it had been, can’t wait for the next…

At last, the mountains of Inverlael... / June 1, 2021 by Carlton Doudney

They say ‘It comes to those who wait’, I sure waited, for around 4 years for the right time. Whenever I had time the conditions looked poor so not worth making the trip there. But finally the time had come and there was a window of opportunity.

I arrived at the car park at Inverlael on a warm sunny day at around noon, heaved on the weighty pack for a three day trip and after checking the map set off, it was uphill from the start, nearly 15 kilometres. Ouch…

Luckily there was just enough of a breeze to keep things cool enough, the further in I got the steeper the hill became until a couple of soft snow fields, energy sapping, needed to be crossed. There would be more snow to negotiate later in the trip.

Finally making it to the spot I’d chosen for the first camp, a flat area between three of the mountains I wanted to climb, I discovered much snow was still around and the small bodies of water of which there many were still frozen and covered in snow. I found a small grassy rise that would make an ideal spot for the tent. It was windy up here and a chilly northly, it was time to throw on some warm layers.

It was flat but the ground rocky with a light covering of soil and grass, the pegs didn’t go in far and were difficult to place, ha, some bad words may have been muttered. Luckily there were some large rocks to weigh down the pegs. I made it to the lip of the hanging corrie battling the now icy wind for a beautiful sunset, but with that wind I didn’t know at the time if any of the images would be sharp or blurry and ruined by the wind and camera movement.

The sun sinks at the end of day one taking its warmth with it

Over night the windy conditions abated with clear skies overhead and some illumination from the moon, a hard frost would form on the tent flysheet overnight.

It would be a 3am rise to be on the summit of Cona ‘Mheall for sunrise and it would be a close run thing. The upper half of the mountain was a bouldery affair and covered in frost to make the going a little more challenging not to mention those that tipped and rocked. But once there I was treated to a fabulous sunrise that slowly illuminated all the mountains around.

Earth shadow giving way to a pink glow and keeping back from the corniced edge

Alpenglow on Beinn Dearg, my next destination

I headed back on down and on to my next target, the mountain of Beinn Dearg which would set a new set of challenges. Not expecting much snow I’d not brought crampons not wanting to carry the extra weight if not needed. Hmm, the ascent was steep with a number of snow fields mostly firm but with careful maneuvering negotiable, but it was slow going. Summit number 2 was reached in glorious sunshine with views to the Fannich mountain range.

The descent would be equally slow going and I was glad to make it back to the tent for lunch and a little siesta in the warm sun. There was no time to dally too long though, I had to pack up and head up to summit number 3.

Hard going lugging all the gear up having already completed two summits and carrying 3.5 litres of water as there would be none for such a high camp. To make it harder a number of now soft snow fields had to be crossed as well and often there were hollows under the snow to catch me out, my leg often going through up to the knee. It sure got irritating after a while and I was glad to make it to the stony summit. I carried on for another 200 metres or so to find a spot to camp.

Back for lunch, Beinn Dearg in the background

Camp 2 just off the summit of Meal nan Ceapraichean

Another early start though the sunrise wasn’t so spectacular and it was time to pack up again and move on to the next summit. It didn’t look far on the map but seemed a long way on the ground. I dropped the pack behind some rocks and ascended to summit number 4 with only with my camera bag. I didn’t linger and was soon back down, hefting the heavy pack and heading out.

It was a long twisty path back out to the main path I’d walked in on and it was good to get back on to something a little straighter. The walk out seemed longer than the walk in but the aches and pains were soothed with the knowledge that I’d climbed 4 more mountains that had made me wait a year or two. It had been worth the wait for such fantastic conditions. It dose come to those who wait…

Coming soon, 4 year wait for the right conditions, 3 day Inverlael adventure... :) / May 25, 2021 by Carlton Doudney