I slept really well at our camp on Loch Hourn, waking early as the light grew stronger. Stepping outside, this was my first view of the day - the majestic Ladhar Bheinn rearing into a flawless blue sky across the loch. I've climbed Ladhar Bheinn twice, once from each side of the hill, and had remarkably good weather both times. It's one of the Munro "superstars" in my opinion and anyone who climbed it on this day would have an unforgettable ascent.
The view in the other direction up Loch Hourn wasn't too shabby either! The low early morning sunshine was silhouetting the tangle of ridges and spurs around Kinloch Hourn, a very different aspect of the same scene we'd watched the previous evening.
Rather than rush away we took our time to enjoy being in this utterly remote spot on such a great morning. Everywhere we looked was stunning scenery and we found lots of interest all around, including some strange miniature fountains where the tide was pushing water and air up thorough the saltmarsh areas.
But it was Ladhar Bheinn which held our attention. We had breakfast facing across the loch so that we could watch the light change on the cliffs at the head of Coire Dhorrcail (on the left of this image) and the gullies and faces at the head of Coire Odhair.
Eventually we decided to get underway and enjoy the view from the water. We took down the tents and erased all evidence of our second fire; the tide had taken care of the remains of the first one! We paddled out onto a mirror calm loch for a truly memorable morning's paddle.
It was now mid-morning and the warm sunshine had started to form clouds. These didn't detract from the views at all, in fact the pattern of light and shade enhanced features and gave depth to the whole scene. Douglas and I blazed away with our cameras and Donny filmed from "Guppy".
The backdrop of Ladhar Bheinn was hard to beat, the kayaks tiny underneath the bulk of the mountain. I took a tremendous amount of images and even now I can't decide which I prefer, so here's a few of them....Douglas' bright red P&H Volan providing a real splash of colour against deep shadows....
...a colour and light gradient as a passing cloud accentuated the warm sunshine against the shadow...
.......Lorna and Allan in a perfect reflection of the dramatic skyline of the summit ridges.....
....Donny motoring Guppy along below Druim a' Choire Odhair (ridge of the dun coloured Corrie)....
Already this was an outstanding day, and it was only mid-morning! Days like these, they stay with you forever.
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