Myosotis alpestris   Alpine Forget-me-not RRR DDD N

Myosotis alpestris whole Myosotis alpestris close

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

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