Mun cuairt ann a Mhorbhairne .. Morvern winter wander

[Collaciotach]

We are truly blessed out here ...

The pandemic has not caused us any great mischief as yet in the far West other than the inconvenience of learning new tricks associated with covid control such as masks and the like. That said most of us in this township kept out the way in Summer when the hordes descended on us after the first lockdown, so much so that visits to the local hotel were largely out of bounds until November and when the visitors vanished under the new tier restrictions.

Despite the earlier and most recent directives we are blessed by our surroundings, which give us instant access to many a fine hill and glen, helping the whole C-19 disaster seem that wee bit more remote as yet than it will be to those stuck in Scotland's cities and busier places.

We have had successive hard frosts and snow here in Lochaber the last few days which makes a walk in the hill even more attractive.

On Wednesday i took another turn out on a local sub2000 Beinn nam Beathrach , a fine wee hill which never fails to please and is an easy summit with a high starting point from the top of the bealach.

The snow was thick above 200m , soft and unconsolidated but easy enough , if tiring to cut a trail into following the lip of a gully opposite Doire na Gad and onto the lower bùrach that forms the lower summits of this sprawling hill with its innumerable lochans and glacs and lagan (hollows)

Eilean Eige agus Rum

Eilean Eige agus Rum

We followed a trail trying to keep to the slabbier shards of rock and avoiding the hidden pools and sink holes that abound on this high moor

Ceann Gearr Loch

There are a number of càrn of this hill mostly watchers posts from the stalking days with the highest one sitting proudly and at a mighty 582m

An Càrn

Ach aig am mullach abair sealladh an Iar ..... but at the summit fine views to the West agus na h - eileanan

Am mullach

Eilean Eige

A lot of passing cloud and hail /sleet showers around however we avoided them today despite low cloud on almost every notable peak in the sgìre with Resipole especially looking black n grey but Ben Hiant peeking out to the West .

Beinn Hiant

The contrast the weather was offering today were magnificent with a mix of white ,blues and creating a fine atmosphere despite the bitter wind at the summit

Sgòth

Eile

Càrn

We did not linger too long on the summit and an cù at 14 is now more keen to hoof back down when the weather is like this and when every other living cratur is down below the snow line except himself

An cù

Sios

As i said at the beginning the pandemic has not affected us personally as yet, other than inconvenience. Local folk around here are heartened that the majority of sensible folk are avoiding our small and vulnerable communities under the present circumstances and at what is usually a fairy busy holiday period.

The hills will be there when the new normal arrives and folk can get back out to doing what they enjoy , so until then ...

Bliadhna mhath ùra agus cùm sàbhailte

[litljortindan]

That looks/sounds an exhilarating walk. And an unusual view of Eigg and Skye.

[PeteR]

Looks superb...... you're lucky to have that on your doorstep.

I won't deny that in between lockdowns the temptation to head north or to remote places was strong. Save for a handful of "main road" hills I managed to resist. As you say, the hills will still be there.......

I suspect restrictions of some sort will be in place for a while yet, so my crampons and ice axe can rest till next winter as there is nowhere in Ayrshire where they'd be required (perhaps Arran, but that is out of bounds while in level 4)