We climbed Ben Lawers in 2004 and the mist cleared before us. Just as we climbed over the saddle into the Corrie the sun came out and so a bit of photography was possible. The wind though was quite persistent and even with a reasonable shutter speed blurred images result. This is very frustrating when you know you won't be able to return for a year or so.

And so to a year later on an unusually very hot day in 2005. The very first breeze started as soon as I took my camera out to focus on the Alpine Forget-me-nots which were magnificent at this time of year but I did get a few reasonable shots. Both photos was taken with a Nikon 8800 - no colour correction needed here.

M. alpestris occurs in just a few places in the Scottish highlands and in western Teesdale where the sheep keep it as a miniature plant scarcely higher than the grass in which it nestles. On Ben Lawers these robust plants cover the cliffs in powder blue in a good year and are anything but diminutive.

Ben Lawers Corrie 11th July 2005

Added on January 29th 2005 and on 13th July 2005, updated 5th January 2011