• A glipse of sunshine: Rachel crossing an old fenceline in the hills above Glenfinnan.

  • Rachel looks out over a partially frozen Loch Beoraid.

  • Rachel on the walk around Loch Morar.

  • A beautiful morning at Loch Eilt.

  • Before the thaw. Rachel on a frozen stream.

Happy Hogmanay!

Our Christmas holiday for 2010 was a week in a ‘cottage’ in Fort William. Not really a cottage as it’s a flat, but it’s in a lovely spot and backs onto the Caledonian Canal’s locks at Neptune’s Staircase. We got here on Christmas day, sadly just as the cold weather finally finished, but it’s been a lovely winter holiday despite that. I had a day skiing at Aonach Mor, we walked on the lovely white sand beaches near Mallaig, the shores of Loch Morar, and the forests around Loch Linnhe.

Before the thaw. Rachel on a frozen stream.
Before the thaw. Rachel on a frozen stream.
A beautiful morning at Loch Eilt.
A beautiful morning at Loch Eilt.

Wednesday we spent in the hills behind Glenfinnan, hiking out to a lovely view over Loch Beoraid. On our way back the sun came out for a few minutes, filling the hills with the lovely light that makes Scotland so attractive at this time of year. The lochs were still ice-filled, despite the thaw, and made for lovely views.

Rachel looks out over a partially frozen Loch Beoraid.
Rachel looks out over a partially frozen Loch Beoraid.

Yesterday we walked into the Mamores from Glen Nevis. The weather wasn’t quite as good, but we got the occasional glimpse of blue sky, as well as some lovely views down Glen Nevis, and across to Ben Nevis itself. We didn’t go to any of the summits as we’re still avoiding Munros, but had a lovely day out.

A glipse of sunshine: Rachel crossing an old fenceline in the hills above Glenfinnan.
A glipse of sunshine: Rachel crossing an old fenceline in the hills above Glenfinnan.

Today we’ve had low cloud and drizzle, but decided to do a trip in Glen Coe. We walked up the Lairig Eilde towards Glen Etieve, then traversed around the flanks of Stob Dubh and back along the Lairig Gartain back to Glen Coe. The cloud was down on the summits most of the way, but through occasional holes in the cloud we caught glimpses of Stob Coire Sgreamhach on the way out and Stob Dearg on the return.

All in all, it’s been a lovely week despite the thaw. Scotland in winter is a lovely place.

Rachel on the walk around Loch Morar.
Rachel on the walk around Loch Morar.

3 thoughts on “Happy Hogmanay!”

  1. Looks like you had a great time and possibly the best weather. Most of our days have been very grey, damp and uninspiring, although yesterday, despite the mist, we did see some interesting colours as the sun played with the clouds.
    Goes to show, you don’t get to see the beauty unless you make the effort to get out there.

  2. Pete: It’s a tradition for us. I’ve never been to the top of any Munros, at first for various strange reasons (feeling unwell on the way up, thick cloud at the summit so we didn’t bother, etc.). Now it’s just something we do – we tend to get to summit ridges, look at them and say “let’s not go”. I’m dreading the day a mountain marathon puts a control on top of a Munro and I have to go. In six years of doing them, it hasn’t happened yet!

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