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Ben Nevis | Scottish Landscape Art - Scottish Landscape Paintings

Posts Tagged ‘Ben Nevis’

A quick dash to the top of Beinn Ime and back!

The title for this blog probably breaks most if not all of the trades description act for as most of you know, I don’t actually dash anywhere, especially when I’m on a hill!  That said however, our trip to Beinn Ime yesterday was in a sense, a bit of a dash as up until mid afternoon the day before, we had no intention of going walking.  The forecasts seemed to have been suggesting wet and very windy weather for Thursday but when Nita double checked early Wednesday evening…. it seemed like the rain wouldn’t actually arrive until the end of the day.

Not wanting a silly early start as Nita had been working a night shift on Tuesday and didn’t get much in the way of sleep on Wednesday, we opted for going for a walk in the Arrochar Alps ….not much more than an hour and a half drive from Irvine.  The forecast had actually suggested there would be 90% chances of a cloud free Munro, but when we reached the side of Loch Lomond at just after 9am, everything was dark and gloomy with heavy banks of cloud shrouding all the hills above about 500 metres.  I have to say we weren’t at the time too happy with Geoff Monk at MWIS….. but we should have known better as, given another hour and the tops where clear.  And we used that hour by stopping at Luss and treating ourselves to a bacon roll and a cuppa ….so not bad after all!  My apologies to Geoff and his team at MWIS for ever doubting them!

scottish mountain

The Cobbler

Our target for the day was Beinn Ime, a hill we’d first climbed back in 1998 and one we’d revisited on five or six other occasions over the years.    It makes for a very pleasant wander through spectacular scenery and as you start at sea level and end up at just over 1000 m ….it gives your legs a good stretch.    We haven’t actually walked the path up past The Cobbler and Beinn Narnain to Beinn Ime for probably four years and it was amazing to see how much the lower sections of the path had changed in this time.  What had been saplings have grown and the big views you used to have out over Loch Long, have for the most part, been hidden behind foliage.    What you lose on the bigger scale however, you make up on the smaller scale.  Numerous wild flowers decorated the sides of the path almost all the way up to the edge of the forestry and from that point the views of The Cobbler and Beinn Narnain grab your attention.     The path itself has eroded quite badly in places despite it only being a little over 10 years old I think.  The top surface seems to have been washed away in places but it still makes a pretty easy way to gain height and get up into these spectacular mountains.

scottish mountain

The Cobbler from the upper slopes of Beinn Ime

I had expected the path to be quite busy at this time of year but in fact we only saw a few other folk throughout the day and the busiest spot was actually the summit of Beinn Ime itself.  Even so, there was only a few folk and they soon headed off back down and Nita and I had this lofty quiet spot to ourselves …… with the exception of one lone sheep and a couple of Ravens.  It had taken us about four and a quarter hours to the top and so we had plenty of time to sit and enjoy the views which, despite the generally grey skies, were pretty extensive.  Nita could make out Ben Nevis to the north but it still had its head in the cloud.  Most of the rest of the hills were clear just as MWIS had forecast.

scottish mountains

At the summit of Beinn Ime

Our return back down to the car was in increasingly gloomy light but the rain held off and I have to admit that I felt quite smug…. our lazy start and second breakfast in Luss paid off…. cloud free tops by the time we started walking and still dry eight and a half hours later on our return to the car.  A perfect day in the hills.

Work in progress – Towards the Mamores

Work in progress, 'Towards the Mamores'

Work in progress, ‘Towards the Mamores’

One of the reasons I have always kept my studio door open to the public is that I think it important that people can see work in progress ….be it in a good state or not. This painting is one that I’ve been working on over the last week and is I guess about half way to completion ….if it ever makes it that is! You can see the way the painting is built up in layers of paint and pastel and get an idea of the rough nature of these pieces. I’ve used a magnifier to see what I’m doing on a couple of areas but generally I’m working with broad brushes in a loose manner.

The painting is about a view we had last summer as we looked out towards the Mamores and the big hills around Ben Nevis beyond. They were all partially shrouded in cloud as big rain showers came and went with bright warm sunshine in between. I’m not sure quite how this painting will turn out or the direction it will take. I’m away walking for the next couple of days so I’ll see what I make of it when I get back. This for me is the exciting part of painting ….if I knew what I was going to get before I started painting ….well.

Seeing the best of Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis CIC Hut

Ben Nevis CIC Hut

One of the most difficult things about painting the landscape is I think, working out how to convey how big everything is. Without a point of reference ….something man made, capturing the vastness of a moor or mountain can be very challenging. With my fuzzy sight, I have just as much a problem when I’m actually out walking in these wild places ….judging whether I have an hour to walk to reach the top of a crag, or five minutes, without the aid of a map, is tricky. Occasionally though, you go somewhere that just reeks its huge scale.

On Monday we went to just such a place ….the base of the North Face of Ben Nevis.

We walked this, Scotland’s and the UK’s highest mountain several years ago by the standard ‘tourist’ path and although I stood at the top, I never really felt quite how big this mountain was. On Monday though, I got the idea.

Ben Nevis North Face

Ben Nevis North Face

A very good path leads up through the forest before following the stream that flows out from beneath the great cliffs of the north face. Your first view is from a small view point created in the forest but at this stage it just looked to me like another mountain. Once above the forest line though I started to realise just how big a lump of a hill Ben Nevis is. I thought the first cliffs were quite near but as we continued to walk towards them I realised we still had a good distance to walk. As we got closer the dark crags grew bigger and bigger and what I had thought was a single line of cliffs, became a series of great buttresses and a deep corrie – Coire na Ciste. Tucked up at the head of the glen beneath this and complex face, is the CIC Hut. It has been very well built so that it blends in with its dramatic surroundings and it was to this that we were heading.

Our friend and walking companion Guy had in the past climbed a couple of the routes on the North Face and it was his idea that we walk up to the CIC Hut. He assured me that it would not be time wasted and that I just had to see and experience this magnificent setting …he also suggested that it would be an excellent place to do some drawing and painting. Well, I can’t argue, he got it right on all accounts! We sat gawping at the face, so big, so complex and so beautiful. On this occasion I just brought my camera but this is definitely a place to return on another fine day to sit and draw.

I’m not quite sure why, but walking up this magnificent glen underneath the North Face of Ben Nevis, reminded me so much of the time I spent in Speyer the other summer …walking around the massive cathedral there. Just like on Monday beneath Ben Nevis, I used to end up with a crick in my neck from staring up at its highest towers and buttresses trying to work out how it all fitted together and how I might do a drawing or painting of it. In the end, I solved the problem in Speyer by matching scale with scale …in other words doing a very large drawing …4.2 m long by 1.5 m high. As we stood, tiny against this great natural structure …the highest in Scotland, I remembered the Speyer drawing and started to ponder on whether I ought to attempt another …this time based on the North Face of Ben Nevis.

Dom drawing, Speyer

Dom drawing, Speyer

  ‘Photographs by Gjuy Hansford and Mike Lauter’

Spring is here…

 Criese breaking clear of the cloud

Criese breaking clear of the cloud

I always know when spring has arrived ….it is the first day of the year when I go walking…and end up with a sun burnt forehead!  Yesterday was just such a day and the sun block has now been added to the rucksack…..a little late admittedly but at least I’ll be prepared the next time we go out in the sun.

In fact, it didn’t seem like we’d even need sun glasses when we arrived at the parking spot on the A82 between Buachaille Etive Mor and Beinn a’ Chrulaiste ….there was a heavy layer of cloud shrouding all the summits.  That said however, we had set out from Irvine two and a quarter hours earlier under clear skies and only ran into the cloud as we got to Loch Lomond.  Even as we put the boots on and added another layer against the cold easterly wind, a feint glimmer of sunlight appeared and so we had high hopes for better things to come.  Quite just how much better though we’d never have imagined.

Buachaille Etive Mor from Meall Bhalach

Buachaille Etive Mor from Meall Bhalach

We’d been wanting to revisit Beinn a’ Chrulaiste for a while …it’s in a great location, placed as it is between Rannoch Moor and at the heads of Glen Etive and Glen Coe.  In the past though we’d either failed to get to the top and / or the weather had been dreadful.  On the one occasion we did make the cairn and trig point marking its 857m summit (after an ‘interesting’ scramble up the Pink Rib, we’d caught only a glimpse of the fine view before the cloud, sleet and wind arrived again and we had to scuttle back down to the car in the gloom.  On that occasion though, the glimpse did allow us to see the broad curving ridge leading off at first in a north easterly direction and then east over the gentle hummocks of Meall Bhalach.  From that point on I’ve often thought that this would make a fine circuit of this hill …and I wanted to come back and do it on a fine day.

Beinn a' Chrulaiste from Meall Bhalach

Beinn a' Chrulaiste from Meall Bhalach

This was it and we started by walking the old road the couple of kilometres to the Kings House Hotel and then carried on along the estate track marked with a sign post saying ‘Footpath to Rannoch – 12 miles’.  This track led roughly in the right direction for us but after another couple of kilometres we abandoned it and headed across the bog, making for the low end of the Meall Bhalach ridge.  It was hard work picking our way through and over this very rough and boggy ground but as we did, the cloud all around started to lift and break and we got our first views of the dramatic summit of Criese breaking clear ….it looked very dramatic with the large patches of snow on its highest slopes.  The Buachaille though, along with our more modest summit, remained defiantly cloudy.  As we gained height though the cloud became less and more broken and the bright sun and blue skies began to take over.

Ben Nevis from Meall Bhalach ...with a bit of zoom!

Ben Nevis from Meall Bhalach ...with a bit of zoom!

The long summit area of Meall Bhalach is flat and stony and is littered with small lochs, each one now reflecting the blue sky above.  The Buachaille finally shed its cloudy toupee a short while before we reached this top and the views from this point onwards were just incredible.   To the north and east lay the huge Blackwater Reservoir and Rannoch Moor, west the snow topped peaks of the Mamores and behind, the bulk of Ben Nevis.  South, we looked across to the steep craggy slopes of Beinn a’ Chrulaiste …the edge marked by the brilliant white …the remains of cornices.  Behind this, the dramatic peak of Stob Dearg (the north eastern summit of Buachaille Etive Mor) rose into the sky, its huge crags dropping out of sight behind Beinn a’ Chrulaiste.  Wow, what a place to stand..and it was so silent, we couldn’t even hear the traffic down on the main road.

Lunch spot ..overlooking the Blackwater Reservoir dam

Lunch spot ..overlooking the Blackwater Reservoir dam

We spent a long time just wandering around this top, peering into all the wee lochs, many of them teeming with frogs and beetles ….all seemingly awake again after the cold of the winter.  Just below the  small cairn marking the 708m summit of Meall Bhalach, we stopped for half and hour or so and just enjoyed the warm sun and the huge views out to Ben Nevis.  As we did, I heard very faintly, the honks of approaching geese.  They were flying north for the summer and as we sat and waited, they appeared high above us, their white plumage catching the sunlight. They were a talkative bunch and we could hear them long after they disappeared from view …aiming just to the left of Ben Nevis ….perhaps, like all groups out in the wild …they were having a difference of opinion as to which way to go!

A wild and beautiful country, NE from Beinn a' Chrulaiste

A wild and beautiful country, NE from Beinn a' Chrulaiste

Beyond Meall Bhalach, the ridge curves and rising to join Beinn a’ Chrulaiste.  We followed this, picking our way through a more rocky section before getting onto the main back of the hill.  From here the views opened out even more …this time looking out over the magnificent peaks of Glen Coe.  More sitting and gawping ensued at the summit cairn before at just after three o’clock, we decided we’d better make our way down.  For the most part it was a relatively easy descent on steep grass, but there were some steep and stony sections, slippery too with all the water draining into the moor below.  I’m always at my slowest when descending, but even so we were back at the track by the hotel by just after five thirty…just in time to see the sun go down behind the Buachaille ….the perfect finish to a perfect day.

The glen Coe mountains from Beinn a' Chrulaiste

The glen Coe mountains from Beinn a' Chrulaiste

 

The Buachaille, evening

The Buachaille, evening

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A good week

Creag Mhor from Stob an Fhir Bhogha

Creag Mhor from Stob an Fhir Bhogha

It has been a busy but profitable week….alas, not financially, but I’ve certainly got a lot of painting done.

The week started well though with a very enjoyable day on the hill. With the forecast looking very good we’d decided to go back to Glen Lochy and once again head for Creag Mhor …the 1047m Munro that lies at the western end of the glen. As reported we’d been here back in the spring but on that occasion thoroughly messed up our navigation and failed to get to the top …so then, this was to be our second attempt. We hadn’t though appreciated quite how hot it was going to be ….and it’s a fairly long walk to the base of the hill. It really was baking as we headed along the glen and there was hardly a breath of wind to ease the heat.

From Beinn Heasgarnich

From Beinn Heasgarnich

After about an hour and a quarter we stopped for a drink and on realising we still had another kilometre or so to go in this oven we decided to change our plans and head straight up and climb the nearer of the two Munros – Beinn Heasgarnich….hoping that by gaining some height we might get into a breeze or some cooler air. This involved a steep haul up grass, picking our way between small crags until at around 800 m the angle eased and we reached a large and rather boggy flattish area. Beyond another steep and craggy section led to the top of Stob an Fhir Bhogha at 1029 m. It certainly became less hot but not because of height or finding the breeze. Instead, very rapidly, cloud appeared and by the time we were half way up there was virtually no blue sky visible and it was becoming very dark…..but thankfully cooler. To the south of us we could clearly see Ben More and as it is almost 100 m higher than the hill we were on, it gave a good indicator as to whether the cloud base was getting lower. Thankfully, this wasn’t the case, but apart from the occasional glimpse of the sun we were walking in quite gloomy light for the rest of the day.

Beinn Heasgarnich

Beinn Heasgarnich

From the top of Stob an Fhir Bhogha it’s just a very simple and gentle wander across almost level stony tops to reach the summit of Beinn Heasgarnich at 1078 m. Despite the now grey skies, the visibility was very good and we could make out many of the peaks …Ben Nevis stood out very clearly to the north.

Despite there being a number of cars parked at the end of the road when we set out, we only saw three other walkers all day …one of them who turned up at the summit just five minutes after our arrival. We returned by a slightly different route, one that was less steep but slightly wetter …but at least we got to see lots of tiny yellow frogs …some of them no bigger than a 5p piece! Needless to say I didn’t see as many as Nita.

Beinn Heasgarnich

Beinn Heasgarnich

 

The painting has as I said gone well this week. I’ve completed another of the new 80 x 80 cm pieces and have two more on the go and several more planned. Nita had been over to Kilmarnock to get some more board cut for me and so in between the real painting I’ve been madly priming these boards. I’m quite pleased with the way things are progressing and I feel that I am at long last starting to move these paintings on a bit …it’s quite exciting. I’m arranging for a photographer to visit the studio at the end of the month so should have some decent images to show you in a couple of weeks.

It’s the annual North Ayrshire Open Exhibition soon. Today is the hand in day today and I am entering a small piece and one of the new larger paintings. Nita put this big piece in a frame the other day and it is the first time I’ve seen one of these new larger pieces framed up …I’m very pleased with the way it’s looking. Mind you, as with all ‘open’ exhibitions …you can never be sure if your work will be selected. It’s a bit of a gamble, though it’s always a little depressing if your stuff is rejected, but that’s the nature of the beast I guess!!! Fingers crossed! The exhibition opens a week today and runs for two weeks. Most years it contains around a hundred or so paintings and a small selection of sculpture. Its well worth a visit so if you live in Ayrshire do call in to see it. I’ll be posting full details shortly.

What’s the weather like in April?

 

Across to Stob Binean, April 08

Across to Stob Binean, April 08

A few months ago I had a phone call from a friend in Speyer.   She said that the choir she sang with was visiting the UK to do a concert in Spaulding in April.  She asked if she could visit us for a few days after the concert.  I said that that would be fine, but then she asked the dreaded question ….  ‘What’s the weather like in April in Scotland? Will it be nice?’

Wow ….how do you answer that with any degree of honesty?  At the time I blustered something about, it often being beautiful in April in Scotland and that it could be quite good.  After replacing the receiver I realised that I hadn’t mentioned that it could be  ****** cold at this time of year too and that we’d had several very exciting days walking the hills in the snow in April.  Indeed, on an April day a few years ago, we had very snowy conditions on the east ridge of Ben More.  April can be a wonderful month but it really is a delicate balance between winter and summer,  especially in the Scottish mountains.  Perhaps I should have added the proviso that she brings a couple of warm jumpers just in case!

 

On Ben More, April 08

On Ben More, April 08

As far as I know, Andrea is not a hill walker, so I doubt we’ll have such problems next week when she arrives.  In fact, I’ve just checked out the Mountain Weather Information Service website to see what the forecast is looking like for the week ahead …and well, it’s looking pretty good.  For anyone who hasn’t found this amazing weather service then I would thoroughly recommend it.  They provide a free and very accurate forecast for the mountains.  The forecasts are divided into different regions of Scotland and are updated every day.  There is a main forecast for the day and then forecasts for the two following days.  At the end they have a ‘planning ahead’ report that outlines a very general prediction for the coming week.  We’ve been using the MWIS forecasts for the last almost ten years and although as with any forecast they aren’t always exact …they are, on the whole, very accurate and you can plan your day out with  confidence.

We had as I think I mentioned the other week, been hoping to head up to Ben Nevis on day soon …not to climb it all the way but instead to walk up a path the gives excellent views of its dramatic northern face.  Our friend Guy has done this several times and said he’d like to take us there on a good day.  He reckons it will be an excellent place for me to do some sketching and take some photos and from what I heard, he’s right.

 

Guy and I on Ben More, April 08

Guy and I on Ben More, April 08

As usual it’s been difficult fixing dates that all three of us can make and in the end it came down to just two available days this month …today and tomorrow.  Of course though, it’s a very long way to drive for just a day trip …three and a half hours each way and so it’s only worth doing if the weather is fine and we get the views.  Then on Monday came the news from Guy that he’d hurt his leg while out walking on the hills above Largs.  A very experienced hill walker, having tackled many of the classic routes in Scotland, he had simply slipped on some wet grass just short of the main path back into town.  He hobbled back to the station  and got home but later found he had in fact fractured a bone in his leg.   He is currently sat with his lower leg in plaster …so if you’re reading this Guy,……get well soon.   As I’m typing this now I’m obviously not on Ben Nevis ….it’s grey and quite wet outside and the forecast for further north was not good enough to warrant the long drive north.  We’re keeping an eye on the MWIS forecast and may head out on Sunday instead as it looks like it might be beautiful.  Andrea arrives in Scotland on Monday so I’m hoping for glorious weather …we’re planning to take her over to the Isle of Arran one day and if the sun is out it’ll look stunning.  Let’s hope she sees Scotland at its very best.

 

On Ben More, April 2008

On Ben More, April 2008