Aonach Mor

Two weeks ago we jogged up to the top restaurant on Aonach Mor . I painted the above sketch looking west down the length of Loch Eil.Since then there have been several falls of snow so the view would now be much more wintry.

Above is a quick pencil sketch of Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg on a rare clear day.

Autumn Sunrise

The weather over the last few weeks has been very wet but recently rather than monotonous  continual drizzle we have had sharp sudden showers interspersed with dramatic skies - big dark centred clouds and splashes of blue sky.On the hills the grasses and  bracken have turned to beautiful red russet tones;Autumn seems to have come on very suddenly.
However this week we had two days - yes two whole days without rain. Monday was a spectacular day; I left home before 6 am to run to work. Passing through fields in total darkness the gates glittered with frost in the beam of my head torch and the frozen grass crunched under my feet..Above there were a few stars visible. It was the first really frosty morning since the Spring.
 Recently most of my running commute has been in the dark but on Monday due to the change in the clocks there was soon a glimmer of dawn in the East. This developed until the underside of a bank of cloud was illuminated a gorgeous salmon pink by the first rays of the sun . As I ran past Nevis Range and on towards Torlundy the cloud cleared though squally showers could be seen beyond the mountains. The colours brightened and brightened until Ben  Nevis was silhouetted against a brilliant yellow and orange sky fading to blue /purple clouds to the South. It really did look as if the sky was on fire. The summit of the Ben was wreathed in pink tinged clouds.I took lots of photographs and  nearly collided with a cyclist as I couldn't take my eyes off the heavens.
 Within an hour of these pyrotechnics the sky had returned to its normal gun metal gray.

Ben Nevis- painted from a photo taken from Torlundy on Monday