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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
- Heading up to Ruaidhe.
- Paw prints. Not sure what.....
- The best picture of the day within the first hour. Sgurr na Lapaich I think.
- Sgurr na Muice with sunshine. Collectors item today.
- Summit of Ruaidhe. Sun, teasing us.
- Our only distant view. Looking north. The Corbett Carn Chuinneag (sic) I think.
- Whiteout. Almost.
- 2nd Munro, Carn nan Gabhar. From here we fleetingly saw Ghlais above the inversion, raising hopes for when we'd reach it.
- Summit of Sgurr a' Choire Ghlais. Where was our expected inversion, seen from Gabhar?!!!! Probably my angriest Munro! :D
- A wee scrambly step on the ridge to the last Munro
- Finally out of the mist, the snow patches made for a quick descent. The sun long gone.
- A better view of the crags of Sgurr na Muice reflected in the waters below. Oh for sunshine to turn the lights on!