Strathfarrar, 4 Munros, 1 inept MWIS forecast
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 12:26 am
90% chance of cloud free Munros for the Northwest Highlands (copyright MWIS). Not 60. Not 70. Not 80. But NINETY. Being someone who picks and chooses the good days for my walks, I thought this was sufficient assurance it would be worth the long journey. MWIS are trustworthy, arent they?
So 4.15am alarm. 5am leaving Aberdeen. We start walking at 8.30am. It soon becomes clear that forecast was somewhat wide of the mark
I'd done the eastern 3, but not the western one. My pal had done the western two, but not the eastern two. So we had motivation beyond simple appreciation of the scenery. Luckily!
The way the sun teased us, appearing faintly through the cloud layer on the summits, and the regular appearance of overhead blue sky, hinting constantly at that stunning cloud inversion a couple of 100m's above, made it all the more irritating.
So convinced was I that conditions would improve, I didn't bother reaching for my camera when - on Carn nan Gabhar - Sgurr Choire a'Ghlas appeared fleetingly bathed in sunshine above a cloud sea. Little did I know it would disappear and not appear again!
One thing is for sure, I will return in sunshine. Another set of hills for that list of shame
So 4.15am alarm. 5am leaving Aberdeen. We start walking at 8.30am. It soon becomes clear that forecast was somewhat wide of the mark
I'd done the eastern 3, but not the western one. My pal had done the western two, but not the eastern two. So we had motivation beyond simple appreciation of the scenery. Luckily!
The way the sun teased us, appearing faintly through the cloud layer on the summits, and the regular appearance of overhead blue sky, hinting constantly at that stunning cloud inversion a couple of 100m's above, made it all the more irritating.
So convinced was I that conditions would improve, I didn't bother reaching for my camera when - on Carn nan Gabhar - Sgurr Choire a'Ghlas appeared fleetingly bathed in sunshine above a cloud sea. Little did I know it would disappear and not appear again!
One thing is for sure, I will return in sunshine. Another set of hills for that list of shame