After a few months of Covid lockdown, we were desperate to get out of the city into the Highlands. We booked an Airbnb in Morar and set off from Edinburgh in October 2020 just as the rain was starting. The weather deteriorated and the rain didn't stop until we got to Bridge of Orchy. But then, we had one of these magical breaks in the weather when the sun broke through just as we were approaching Glencoe. Absolutely wonderful light on the hills.
Showers and sunshine continued for the rest of the day and we had a very boggy walk up from Lochailort to the col above Loch Beoraid. One of the least known but, in my view, one of the best hill and loch views in Scotland.
We left on Friday morning in driving rain which didn't stop until we were crossing Rannoch Moor. The first hint of the changing weather came as we passed Buchaille Etive Mhor. There were peeks of sunshine through the clouds.
Five minutes later, as we drove down the glen, the weather continued to improve. This was the view looking towards the Lairig Eilde.
This patch of trees on the steep slopes below the Aonach Eagach caught my eye. I guess they are in such a position that the deer can't get to them. They caught the sun but the ridge itself was still covered in cloud.
Looking up from the glen towards Bidean nam Bian. The light on the rock faces of Gearr Aonach was wonderful.
Then the Aonach Eagach started to clear.
We wondered about stopping for a walk in Glencoe but I had set my heart on a walk up to the view above Loch Beoraid so we carried on. We stopped at the Glenfinnan monument for a picnic in the sunshine but the rain started again as soon as we got to the viewpoint over Loch Shiel. For photographic critics, the edge around the hiils isn't a result of over-sharpening, that's really how it was.
I was concerned that we had seen the last of the sunshine but it cleared again as we reached the path to Loch Beoraid so we set off up the hill. The path was atrocious - more or less a burn interspersed with deep bog and the walk took a bit longer than I had anticipated. We reached the bealach just as a shower of rain stopped, with a rainbow over the loch.
The weather continued to clear - It's not well known but think this view down Loch Beoraid is one of the finest hill views in Scotland.
