Cloudy, Clearing…
It’s early, it’s dark – and I think I can hear rain - if I bury my head in the pillow will it all go away?
The alarm has just sounded and I was experiencing a deep sense of inertia after a night’s sleep that could be most generously described as disappointing. I was sharing a room at the Clacaig Inn, Glencoe with Ed – a friend of over 20 years and fellow photographer. Incredibly neither of us managed to sleep but was still able to to keep the other awake with loud, crisp and, at times, resonant snoring.
Our plan was to photograph Buachaille Etive Mòr from the corbett to the north called Beinn a'Chrulaiste. Buachaille has a classic pyramidal shape and is arguably one of the most recognisable mountains in Scotland. It was early spring but residual winter snow on the peak meant this had the potential to be a spectacular dawn photograph – all we needed was favourable weather.
“What’s the weather like, Ed?”, I enquired as he peered outside into the darkness.
“Er...cloudy, clearing”, he replied.
Reluctantly I raised myself, quickly dressing and gathering my prepared camera kit and tripod. Okay – let’s do this.
We quietly slipped out of the room, down the stairs and stepped outside – into steady rain and low cloud!
“How is this cloudy, clearing?” I asked as the rain dripped from the tip of my nose.
We loaded our kit into the car as I grumbled about Ed’s lack of candour regarding the weather. Ed has always been more optimistic than me - a great quality but on this occasion his optimism appeared to be entirely baseless.
After a short drive through a dimly lit Glencoe, we parked and started to walk up the saturated Beinn a'Chrulaiste looking for a vantage point. Sunrise was only minutes away and still the cloud clung stubbornly to the landscape - this wasn’t going to be our day. It was still raining, my boots were leaking and I was resigned to disappointment.
As we climbed the view of Buachaille improved and the landscape opened up beaneath us - this really was a spectacular location but the elements were against us. Suddenly, the clouds broke and the gentle, golden light of the rising sun bathed the mountain. Surprised by the improving conditions, we quickly found a place to settle and spent a magical hour photographing the clearing clouds in the dawn light.
Remarkably - it really was cloudy, clearing.
I am a portrait and event photographer - with a developing passion for landscape photography. On this day, Ed’s seemingly unfounded confidence taught me a valuable lesson. Conditions can transform quickly and this is especially true with respect to the Scottish weather. Living in London, my opportunities to be in such spectacular landscape are unfortunately limited to only a few days a year.
You have to take the chance - no matter how little sleep you’ve had!
A handheld 5 image panoramic stitch
Glen Etive
Loch Achtriochtan, Glencoe
