Dark Lochnagar

Emerging onto the plateau, we walked across the snowbeds to the corrie rim. Whichever way one approaches, the view of Lochnagar's cliffs appears suddenly and in spectacular fashion.

Perhaps Byron didn't have such good weather when he wrote his famous lines:

England! thy beauties are tame and domestic
To one who has roved o'er the mountains afar,
Oh for the crags that are wild and majestic!
The steep frowning glories of dark Lochnagar!

This was later "adapted" by Dr Tom Patey

Gasherbrum, Masherbrum, Distighil Sar,
All are good training for dark Lochnagar!

a reflection on the hard routes offered by the corrie's crags.





The mountain is named after the lochan in one of it's corries - Lochan y Gair (lochan of noise). The water was still frozen apart from one corner where a huge boulder seems to have fallen.




Alan was happy to be here!

The view from the 1155m summit was superb in all directions, and no sign of volcanic ash either.

Walking along the corrie rim on our way to complete a circuit and descend via the Meikle Pap (the northeastern "top") we saw a small flock of beautiful Snow Buntings, and this Ptarmigan, which was invisible until he moved from right in front of us.

A super day on one of the grandest of hills.