Weather/Conditions: Nice evening weather, pretty settled on the summit. Just missed getting firect sunset!
Distance/Ascent/Time: 6.2km / 790m / c. 3h 05m
Accompanying: Kate

This evening was so unexpected and really came out of nowhere. Kate was up for a quick hill though, and we decided to go to the Pap - almost too late. The weather had been good through the day, but the sunset was already well underway when we left the car and set off up the path, saturated with water. It had obviously rained a good bit, something that ended up being common this summer...



Bidean turned stunning shades of orange, but we could never quite break out of the shadows advancing up the flank of Sgorr nam Fiannaidh. Following the path, we cut back and traversed to the base of Sgorr na Ciche itself. With sunset already about concluded, we scrambled direct up rocks to the summit, to find the cairn and the last light, all the hills turned dark hues of blue.



I particularly noticed the backlit plateau of Nevis cutting into the northern sky - I was to be working there in the morning and it seemed slightly unbelievable that the forecast was to be rotten. At the moment it all seemed so serene.

We hung about for a while, taking photos and enjoying the evening. But as nightfall advanced, we headed down the path on the back of the hill, to rejoin the approach and down to the car. One oddity about it almost being midsummer was that I barely noticed how late it had become. I don't think we were off the hill before midnight (can't find a finish time anywhere), and certinly not back to the house before then. I still had to pack and sort food for the morning - and then get precious few hours sleep. As usual, I wouldn't have things any other way!

360° Panorama

Sgorr na Ciche