Wednesday 11 April 2012

WEST IS BEST

Loch Shiel & Sgurr Ghiubhsachan
Glen Finnan & Streap
The summit view, Sgurr Tuilm & Streap
The Rois Bheinn hills, Loch Beoraid and beyond to Eigg & Rum from the summit
 Diapensia lapponica 
A last look at the weather forecast (and looking out the window) decided where the sun may be shining today. So I headed further west and across to Glenfinnan. I judged it right as I basked in sunshine most of the day, it was a beautiful morning and early afternoon with hardly a breeze. I fancied some peace and quiet and a hill I've not been on for a few years, Sgurr an Utha above Glenfinnan. The hill just fails reaching the 915m so thankfully no Munroists and therefore pretty much guaranteed to have it to yourself. It's a fab view point but it's also famous for having an rare arctic-alpine plant - Diapensia lapponica. Amazingly this hill is the only location in the UK that it grows on and only in a very small area. I thought it may have been in flower with the heatwave we had a couple of weeks ago but by the looks of it it still needs a few more weeks for the small flower to come out. The views form the summit are fantastic. Streap especially fine and looking out to Rum, Eig and Skye. Plenty of snow on Ben Nevis and Aonach Mor, in fact looking far whiter than in February! So maybe a jaunt in the snow and sun tomorrow? 

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