Planning for time in the hills in February can be quite hit or miss. In the 2023 February break week I had days of relatively mild and wet weather on some Corbetts and then, drier, brighter, cooler days on Sgurr an Utha, Meall Lighiche and Sgurr na h-Ulaidh and a lovely trip out to Moidart at the end of the week. There was very little snow on the hills. One year on in 2024 and mid-week by the time I had an opportunity to get out, it was mild and wet again. My work has a leave year that ends in February forcing any unused leave to be taken then – which has never seemed to make much sense!
An evening above Glen Coe
The first day I had free was mostly spent indoors at the laptop, processing and collating photos as the Lochaber rain fell persistently. Every hour or so I was at the window wondering if a break was coming and watching for the forecast afternoon improvement. Eventually it looked a bit better and I took a drive up Glen Coe with the thought of getting some exercise and views on the West Highland Way’s Devil’s Staircase above Altnafeadh, at the foot of The Buachaille. Today there isn’t much devilish about it but to the drovers, travellers, soldiers and Blackwater Reservoir navvies who used this route for real in days gone by, it was a high and steep route to avoid the natural barrier of Loch Leven when travelling north or south.
Stob Mhic Mhartuin lies above and just west of the top of the Devil’s Staircase – at the eastern end of the ridge on the north side of Glen Coe, that includes the classic Aonach Eagach. It is a quick and easy ascent from the top of the stair case and is a fine viewpoint east over Rannoch Moor, south to Buachaille Etive Mor and Beag and west to the Bidean nam Bian group and upper Glen Coe.
As darkness gathered and haily, sleaty rain began to fall I packed up my tripod and descended. There was a single huge rumble of thunder from the direction of The Buachaille as I approached Altnafeadh.
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Beinn Iaruinn, Leana Mhor (west) and Glen Roy
Overnight the temperature dropped and snow fell. Next day the forecast was not great and after an abortive attempt to reach Loch Arkaig – road closed for resurfacing – I ended up in Glen Roy which has become a common haunt of late. I first climbed Beinn Iaruinn, a Corbett on the west side of Glen Roy, only back in April 2023 but had not realised there was a Graham, Leana Mhor (west) just south of it – this seemed a reasonable poor weather aim (Leana Mhor (east) is just over Glen Roy). The snow fell as I gained height up Glen Roy’s small single track road but once parked up it brightened between showers. The summit of Leana Mhor was a quick win even in the shin deep fresh snow and I wasn’t ready to descend. Beinn Iaruinn beckoned and I was gifted with a herd of stags crossing the hill above me and some misty views on the ridge for my enthusiasm. Back in Glen Roy the famous “parallel roads” were picked out nicely in the snow. The parallel roads are the shorelines of a glacial lake that formed behind a dam of ice during the ice age, leaving behind their mark on the valley sides at several different levels.
A wander up to the CIC Hut on Ben Nevis
On the Friday, snow showers and relatively poor conditions were again forecast. I tend to avoid Ben Nevis due to its popularity, although I’ve spent time on it in the days before I was taking the photography seriously. I don’t have a great selection of photos of the mountain itself so think I’d better make a start at capturing some. I wondered if swirling mist and snow in Coire Leis and on the north face might provide something interesting – as well as a decent walk of course. The light and mist were something like I’d envisaged, all the shots below having been taken with a long exposure using a neutral density filter. There was plenty of fresh snow at the CIC Hut and quite a few climbers coming and going on the path and the cliffs above.
Over the weekend following we headed west to the Arisaig and Morar area and witnessed a lovely sunset behind Eigg and Rum and wandered over to Stoul on the shores of Loch Nevis. Using the last of my leave on the Monday I had snow and sun on the Corbetts Beinn Odhar Bheag and Beinn Mhic Cedidh south west of Glenfinnan and was treated to a white tailed eagle flyby! Article and photos coming soon.
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Discover and explore Fort William, Ben Nevis and Glencoe through the articles and links below.
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Fort William, Ben Nevis and Glen Coe select photo gallery
An ascent of Beinn Odhar Bheag and Beinn Mhic Cedidh graced by a white tailed eagle flyby
A visit to the Silver Sands of Morar at Camusdarach, Loch Morar and Stoul on Loch Nevis, and lovely winter light
February days in Lochaber – an evening above Glen Coe, Glen Roy hills and a wander to the CIC Hut of Ben Nevis
Glen Etive – A February Day of Wild Showers
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