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I've climbed Ben Talaidh twice and encountered the same unusual conditions on each occasion.
My first visit was in the spring of 1995. I can't remember exactly how this came about but I walked along the east shore of Loch Ba, aiming for Ben Talaidh and the option of a night in Tomsleibhe or a bivy on the hill. I think I was possibly hedging my bets between Talaidh and Ben More and had hitched as far as Gruline only because of the cloud sitting on Ben More.
Well, a fair walk in from that starting point and over rough ground. Nevertheless, I found myself on Ben Talaidh's north ridge by late afternoon. That's a very fine way up with short grass and a gradient that seems ideal for fast but non-knackering ascent. The weather had cheered up by 4pm or so and a sunlit summit beckoned. But, oh no, a wee ball of cloud appeared out of nowhere just at the very summit. It might go away, I thought, as I made steady progress upwards. Alas, this wasn't to be. I got to the flat summit area shrouded in mist and couldn't see anything but the stones that lay there. It looked as if the cloud wasn't too thick from the light coming through from above but it just wasn't going anywhere. Reluctantly, I set off down the hill and decided on a bivy about 100 metres below the summit. At least I could lie there and watch the clouds on the horizon coming and going. Not a bad view, even if the summits were obscured.
To explain a bit of context, at the time I would have been using the outer of my tent, a carry mat and my sleeping bag to try to keep the load light. Thus, I was looking out of a tent outer door to watch afternoon turn to evening.
After a while I dosed and, with the wind picking up and the mist having descended to my level, closed the door and drifted off a bit. Some time later I opened my eyes and saw the confusing sight of a red coloured tent roof being strafed by the rising wind. Confusing, as my tent was green in colour. I quickly realised what this meant: sunset colours penetrating the gloom. I got out of the tent as soon as I could and could see gaps above and in the mist and cloud. The cloud maybe closed in again then or else I thought I might get above the cloud be re-ascending. Whatever the case, I raced back to the summit with a strengthening wind at my back. At the summit it was fairly gusting and large gaps were opening in the cloud that now seemed to race past just below the summit. By now I struggled to keep my feet. I faced west leaning into the wind and could see the red of a sun setting behind clouds on the horizon whilst behind me to the east the cloud was glowing redder and redder and throwing up odd shapes as the wind took hold. I have never experienced anything so exhilarating before or since...apart from the one time I went back to Ben Talaidh the following year.
![54100004v3.jpg]()
- Loch Ba
![54100001v2.jpg]()
- Loch Ba from the upper slopes of Ben Talaidh's north ridge, sky filling with cloud
![81030006v2.jpg]()
- view north from near my bivvy site
![81030005v2.jpg]()
- view north from near my bivvy site
![81030004v2.jpg]()
- later, at or near the summit the cloud being torn apart by a strong westerly
![81030003v2.jpg]()
- these clouds are flying towards me but passing just beneath -wind strong enough to knock me about
![81030002v2.jpg]()
- the cloud sea
![81030001v2.jpg]()
- light fading
1995 route:
Yes, in autumn 1996 I had an almost identical experience. I was there with a friend this time and we ascended Talaidh in the late afternoon in fairly bright conditions from the outset. However, about half an hour before we reached the summit, a cloud cap formed that just got bigger and bigger. We made our disappointed way to the summit and, once again, the wind picked up as we ascended. The cloud wouldn't drop though so we about turned but not long after breaks started appearing. We made our way back up through the cloud to the top and when we got there I pointed out that clear sky could be seen directly above. Pretty soon after we saw another dip and break in the cloud below the summit. This encouraged us to linger further. The wind started to buffet us about but more and more gaps appeared revealing views out towards Loch Ba and Ben More shrouded in cloud. I couldn't believe it. My friend too was amazed by what was happening. For the second time I stood on the summit of Ben Talaidh bracing myself against the wind as the cloud dipped and raced past just below the summit. We were not bivvying though and had to make our way down in the dark with dubious torches and then had a game of hide and seek with Tomsleibhe at the bottom in the mist. That took quite a long time, despite it seeming an easy task.
![65960056v3.jpg]()
- re-ascent just below summit
![65960072v3.jpg]()
- fine views opening up with the cloud being blown past around and beneath us
![65960069v2.jpg]()
- me willing more breaks in the cloud
![65960070v4.jpg]()
- sunset colours finding small gaps in the cloud on Ben More's neighbours
![65960071v3.jpg]()
- more cloud still being blown at us, beneath us and around us
![54100007v2.jpg]()
- a fantastic after glow and clearer view opening up down to Loch Ba
![54100009v2.jpg]()
- spellbound
![54100010v5.jpg]()
- an uncommon scene I think
1996 route:
I expect this sort of thing is not that uncommon but still a coincidence that stands out in my memory and not something I've seen since.
