Ben Nevis in Winter Raiment

Sunset on Ben Nevis mirrored perfectly in the still waters of Loch Eil.

The winter of 1981/82 was one of the most severe in the Highlands for many years, with night-time temperatures dropping, even in Fort William on the shores of Loch Eil, to below -20C – a very rare event. On this particular evening, the waters of Loch Eil yielded to a flat calm and a very elusive perfect reflection of Ben Nevis. As with all winter anticyclones which remain stationary over the British Isles, the air had become just a little hazy. But sometimes conditions unexpectedly work in one’s favour, and on this particular afternoon provided me with one exceptionally delightful feature – a totally snow covered mountain bathed in the most delicate pink light.