#Liathach

[vintagecamping]

A couple of young gents stand proudly on the Highland's finest mountain, Liathach.

Glen Torridon, Scotland

1980

[kvetch19]

x

[scotianostra]

Good Morning from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Early morning cloud inversion "The loch torridon monster. Liathach. The greyish one, dress appropriately"

📸5cott_mc on Instagram

[azvolrien]

So I've just got back from a couple of days at the Torridon Hotel, which is not, I strongly emphasise, somewhere I could usually afford to stay but my mum had been given a voucher as a gift. The hotel was nice but the main attraction in the area is the stunning surroundings, with the Torridon Hills making for some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Britain.

Particular attention is paid here to the Munros Liathach (the 'th' is silent) and Beinn Alligin, which sit directly across Loch Torridon from the hotel. Three thousand feet probably doesn't sound terribly impressive if you're from, I dunno, Colorado or Switzerland or wherever, but when you see that height soaring straight up from sea level (Loch Torridon is a sea loch), it does loom rather.

[carryforthtradition]

Reflections from a Winter Line

A yellow flash followed the click of the car doors locking; we turned to the trail, the cone of our headlamps shining bright.  Heading northeast into the dark and damp we set off at pace, our minds glowed with electrical ions positively connecting excitement, doubt and wonder. Our trail, steadily rising up to the Coire Dudh Mor 390m a high valley pass between Beinn Eighe and Liathach.   We were running through the ancient landscape of the mighty Torridon, a landscape that’s as old as creation itself.

We breathed deep, our lungs filled, our hearts pumped, our legs carried us. Eyes wide open we saw in awe, the rising sun as it begins its winter arc on the horizon. Glowing ridgelines on Liathach and the Horns of Allign, the dayglow had begun. The running was benign and effortless. We ran with joy and pace, fast and flowing, the trail a perfect match for our every step. Only stopping to absorb the views; a timeless distance hundreds of millions of years in the making. Banished from our minds the foolishness of our lives, the eternal stench of the city. We left behind relative figments of our imagination as we stepped through the boundary between creation and reality.

Photographer John Proctor, Photo: Tia Gibson by Loch Coire Mhic Fearchair

We turned to the southeast, heading to Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair situated below the iconic triple buttress of Beinn Eighe.  Mind-blowing reflections blurred our boundaries between reality and vision, eyes wide open we stood in awe. Created at the dawn of time, such wonder of a distorted, super-heated and metamorphosed mass. If the world has only one super sweet moment set aside for us, a moment of pure reflection; Torridon may forever be that place.

 Photographer John Proctor, Photo: Reflections of Triple Buttress Beinn Eighe

Engulfed in a snowstorm, we turned to the Far East wall heading up to the saddle between Ruach-stac Mor 1010m and the Beinn Eighe massive. Kicking in for the good stuff, spikes on running shoes, the deep snow numbed our toes. Axe in hand we left behind the valley views and headed for the summit, Coinneach Mhor 976m. Riding out the snowstorm as we climbed to point 956m, the swirling cloud opens as the panoramic across the whole of Torridon elates our senses. Pure white crisp snow crowns the massif mountain. We head west for the summit, the sun burning brightly, views of Liathch to the southeast, Slioch to the north.

Photographer John Proctor, Photo: Tia Gibson setting the map with Liathch in the backdrop

Views of everlasting beauty, our hearts lifted as we stood on the summit, we stopped and ate. The cheese and pickle sandwiches tasted good, we set the map and compass and headed west. Fresh steps through the pure winter cover, first a plateau then a fine mountaineering ridgeline led us to the summit of Spidean Coire nan Clach 993m. We turned to the descent at what felt like the edge of time, the sun low on its arc across the winter line. Staying focused on every step descending through the super steep crisp snow to a shoulder, 866m Stuc Coire an Laoigh.  We approached the sublime viewpoint, our descent directly below. 

 Photographer John Proctor, Photo: Tia Gibson 866m Syuc Coire an Lauigh

We stood to take in the final view, a transcendently beautiful aura all around; we had felt the winds of time.  A nip from a 15-year-old single malt whisky warmed us; it was our last day in the mountains. Yet we had to return to our lives. Fast and free, we descended once again, our lungs filled, our hearts pumped and our legs took the brunt as the joy of the run filled our minds. 

Article written by John Proctor: Mountain Climbing Instructor; Author of ‘Mapping the Mind; the art of skyrunning UK’. Instagram  big_friend_academy, Email: breakcliffe@googlemail.com

Runner Tia Gibson: Physical training coach & Skyrunner.  Instagram  tiatilly

[hugomontilla]

 Liathach Emerging | Loch Clair - Torridon

[agnes8avila]

 Liathach from distance - near Shieldaig - Scotland

[mialiteralmente]

 Liathach Emerging | Loch Clair - Torridon

[caos-y-misterios]

 Liathach Saffro - Loch Clair - Torridon - Transient Light

[masked-life]

 Liathach Emerging | Loch Clair - Torridon

[greasy-old-skillet]

 Liathach and Loch Clair - Torridon - Scotland by Barbara Jones

[guardianhound]

 Liathach from distance - near Shieldaig - Scotland

[dioshablahoy]

 Liathach Emerging | Loch Clair - Torridon

[thatsnakeman]

Liathach reflected almost perfectly in Loch Clair, Scotland [OC] 3676x2825 via /r/EarthPorn https://ift.tt/w2SQv3O

[scotianostra]

Good Morning from Scotland 

Dawn of Clair by Seán Kerr Photography Via Flickr: Sunrise over Loch Clair in Torridon, NW Scotland. The gorgeous dawn light highlights the relief on Sgurr Dubh, Creag Dhubh and the treetops on their approach and lights up the snow-capped peaks and autumnal foliage of Liathach and Beinn Eighe.

[protectgeorgeweasley]

What is the Liathach?