counter hit xanga
Mountain Weather Information Service | Scottish Landscape Art - Scottish Landscape Paintings

Posts Tagged ‘Mountain Weather Information Service’

A day exploring Beinn Toaig in the Blackmount, West Highlands

About 10 years ago, my good friend Guy, led me on a walk up the Munro Stob a’ Choire Odhair in the Blackmount region of the Scottish West Highlands.  Guy, never one to just follow the standard routes up hills, suggested we climb this Munro by way of its neighbouring top, Beinn Toaig.   We did this and it made for a very good route, but on that day, it was a very good route in thick cloud and we didn’t see very much.  Since then Nita and I had been back on two or three  occasions, and on one of them, we enjoyed hot clear conditions ….but still didn’t see much  because of very thick heat haze!

scottish mountains

‘In the Blackmount, the Scottish West Highlands’

Yesterday, with the weather once again set fine for the West Highlands of Scotland, we decided to go back to Beinn Toaig, but this time, spend a few hours exploring it and enjoying the fine views we expected to get.    That said however, it didn’t look too hopeful as we drove up the side of Loch Lomond at about eight o’clock yesterday morning.  There was thick dark cloud and it all looked very dreary.  We shouldn’t have worried however, the folk at the Mountain Weather Information Service had got it right and by the time we’d had a coffee and breakfast at the Green Welly, the thick cloud was breaking up and clear blue skies were taking over.

scottish mountains

‘In the Blackmount, the Scottish West Highlands’

We parked the car at the end of the road near Victoria Bridge on the West Highland Way and following the broad track through the trees until we reached the open moorland.  The views were already stunning and our hill, Beinn Toaig, looked very inviting with plenty of snow still on its steep upper slopes.   We weren’t really sure what the conditions would be like higher up as, after many weeks of freezing temperatures on the mountains, spring had suddenly arrived and the temperatures were quite high.   After a couple of kilometres on the WHW we turned off and made our way across the edge of the moorland, heading for the lower end of the broad ridge leading from the summit of Beinn Toaig.  I can’t quite say how wonderful it was to be out here with the mountains all around and the huge space of Rannoch Moor stretching out  below us.  Wow!   There was a lot of snow higher up but despite this there were still areas of snow free ground and for the most part we were able to follow these up the steep slopes leading onto the ridge.  By the time we needed to get onto the snow, the slopes were very gentle and the snow underfoot, fairly soft.

scottish mountains

‘In the Blackmount, the Scottish West Highlands’

I had hoped before setting out, that the views from the ridge into the heart of the Blackmount, would be good.  When we gained the height and could see into the main group of mountains ….well, it was just breathtaking, especially so in this clear crisp spring light.  We spent so much time just stopping and looking and taking photographs and our lunch spot was one of the most enjoyable and spectacular we’ve had for a long time …..and that says something.  We could hear the distant roar of the river rushing through the glen below heading for Ba Bridge and Rannoch Moor and there were the occasional sounds of Raven, Plovers and at one point, high up, two Golden Eagles.  Nita watched them for quite a while but they were too high up for me to make out ……but it was great to know they were there.

scottish mountains

‘In the Blackmount, the Scottish West Highlands’

We didn’t quite reach the summit of Beinn Toaig in the end.  We carried on until about three o’ clock and still a short distance from the top, decided it was probably sensible to start heading back ….I really am very slow on the descent!  It was probably a good decision as in the end we only got back to the car at about half past six and the sun was down by then and everything was getting a little dark.  What a day though …… my jaw was aching from smiling so much!

scottish mountains

‘In the Blackmount, the Scottish West Highlands’

-o-o-o-o-

Paint, paint, walk!

Cruachan reservoir

Cruachan reservoir

Yes, I know, this blog is late!  No real excuses except I’m busy getting all the work together for the various exhibitions coming up this autumn ..and it’s already the end of the third week in July.  And of course, new paintings demand new information, new inspiration … in the way of me getting up and out into the hills.  So then, this week has once again been made up of painting with a day walk added for good measure.

The new paintings are coming on well I think and I now have 9 of the larger 80 x 80 cm pieces completed (or almost) ….but I’ve sold one of these at my Blairmore exhibition …so in practice I have eight.  I currently have two more pieces on the go and plans for another two following a very informative and beautiful walk on Saturday.  This would give me the ten large pieces for Speyer in October with a couple of others for the exhibition in Dundee in mid September.  But I would still like to get a couple more finished at this size too.  That I think means six more large pieces to complete before the end of September …and no doubt a few smaller pieces too.  It certainly means putting in the hours at the studio and so days like today where I’ll be bashing away at this computer are going to have to be cut back a little …. I’m afraid my next few blogs may be somewhat shorter and more thrown together than normal!!!

In the studio - Sunday

In the studio - Sunday

In the midst of all this rushing around I also have the Wasps Open Studios Weekend to prepare for ….this is being held on Saturday / Sunday 1st & 2nd October.  I’m not sure quite how many of the Courtyard Studios artists are taking part this year …but I think that the usual crowd of us will be there again this year …so as always, it’ll be a good and varied selection of work on display.  If you’re a local to Ayrshire then make a note in your diary.  If you want to be added to my mailing list for this and other events just drop me an email to; keith@keithsalmon.org or click on the red link at the bottom of the page to subscribe.

Loch Awe from the hydro road

Loch Awe from the hydro road

As I said though, the week ended with another fine walk.  Once again we were tracking the weather via the Mountain Weather Information Service and matching it with available days …not many this week with my partner Anita working more but shorter shifts for the next few weeks.  Saturday though looked good for both of us and indeed the weather was superb over in the west of Scotland and so a trip to the Ben Cruachan group of hills seemed like the place to go.  Over the last few years we’ve walked most of these large and rugged mountains but there is one hill we’ve never visited …Beinn a’ Bhuidh.  This slightly more modest hill rising to just below 900 m sits above the Cruachan Reservoir and just to the SE of Ben Cruachan.  It’s location as a view point both for the fine mountain scenery and the large expansive views west along Loch Awe and right out to the sea and the mountains over on the Isle of Mull …well, I doubt it can be beaten.

Towards Ben Cruachan

Towards Ben Cruachan

We decided to go for the short steep option ..but one that gave us the maximum view.   Parking at the side of the main road a kilometre to the west of Lochawe village we followed the hydro road up to the Cruachan reservoir dam.  It gains quite a bit of height and is a bit of a slog but the views out over Loch Awe and the Pass of Brander are superb and it makes a good and pleasant start to the walk.  From the dam though …well, it’s straight up with the deep blue of the reservoir looking stunning with the rocky Cruachan peaks all around.  Beinn a’ Bhuidh is quite rocky too and the higher sections are made up of numerous small broken crags and jumbles of boulders which need avoiding or clambering over.  The steepness doesn’t really let up until almost at the top but with all the rocky outcrops and the huge and ever expanding views as you gain height, it makes for an enjoyable haul.  We returned virtually the same way but the weather was so good that on both the ascent and descent, we spent much time just sitting and looking …and at one point …dozing.  It was so peaceful and so beautiful.  Interestingly, the rock formations of the main Cruachan hills were quite amazing.  As the afternoon progressed the shadows started picking out the various layers of the rock.  These seemed to change direction in different places and reminded me very much of some of the marks I make in my paintings.  As I sat looking at this wonder of nature I was already planning my next couple of paintings.

West from Beinn a' Bhuidh

West from Beinn a' Bhuidh

We got back to the car about 7pm and had a stunningly beautiful drive back through the southern highlands under a cloud free sky with the hills almost glowing in the low evening sun.

Sunday was to have been a trip up to Stirling to attend the preview of an exhibition by Lorraine Nicholson, but with everything building up, my blog and work of the week still not written and paintings urgently needing finishing …well, I just had to get back down to the studio.   It was worth it though as I did manage to finish one piece and had a couple of folk in to see the work.  No sales but they were enthusiastic and went away with some of my post cards …so who knows where those may end up.  It’s a good way to promote the paintings and of course each card has my website address included on the reverse.  Right then…back to the painting!

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