Ben Starav

I captured this image at 4.03am GMT in July, from the summit of Bidean nam Bian above Glen Coe in the West Highlands of Scotland, on what proved to be a glorious morning for mountain landscape photography. It shows sunrise on the northern ridges of Ben Starav, a Munro above Glen Etive. Right of centre in the photograph, above rocky Coire an Fhir Leith, is the fine narrow ridge leading north-west between Ben Starav’s south-east summit and its top, Stob Coire Dheirg. This ridge-line offers an easy, enjoyable scramble between the top and the Munro before the ground widens for the descent to Bealachan Lochain Ghaineamhaich on the left. Above this bealach can be seen another Munro, Beinn nan Aighenan, an outlier for most perhaps, and climbed on its own, with the usual Munro that’s climbed with Ben Starav, Glas Bheinn Mhor, being out of sight to the left. (All five of the Glen Etive Munros can be climbed in one long day, involving 32km and 8,500ft ascent, which is a hard but fun day out if you’re fit enough).