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Slioch is an iconic Scottish highland mountain, having an almost impenetrable look when viewed from the roadside. Here I wanted...
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Slioch in Winter

Ross and Cromarty, Scotland

Slioch is an iconic Scottish highland mountain, having an almost impenetrable look when viewed from the roadside. Here I wanted to show the broader massif, so decided to climb up the mountain on the opposite side. As I gained height, the promising gaps in the clouds filled with an ominous grey. Then, when the snow showers swept in, I realised that sunlight on the mountains was going to be at a premium. This created the pattern for the next few hours, of ten minutes sheltering while being battered by strong winds, hail and snow, then 5 minutes respite. During one of these calm periods, late in the day, the sun made a brief appearance. I hurriedly removed the sophisticated foul weather protection (a plastic shower cap) from the camera and took the shot. The low angled light was just in the right place to illuminate the two boulders in the foreground, giving an enhanced sense of depth to the panorama.