Footprints in the snow

The weather forecast was spot on last weekend. Glorious sunny weather with lingering snow on high ground. Perfect for some cross country Munro running! So, for once, my plans for this autumnal Sunday came to fruition.

It's hard, exceptionally hard, to describe just how beautiful the panorama was from the top of Carn Gorm. Not a shortbread tin or chocolate box in the land carries an image so pristine and splendid. I doubt if even Monet could truly have done justice to the beauty of Glen Lyon, Loch Tay and Kenmore on this day. Utterly breathtaking. The myriad of deep, autumnal hues, randomly knitted within the areas of resilient Caledonian Pine forests that are themselves patchworked along the heather clad glen, beautifully contrasting below the pristine snow capped hilltops. The sight would have reduced any normal man to tears. But I couldn't hang about long enough - this was a training run!

And no need to worry about dodgy tendons up here; the snow was just deep enough to give impact cushioning, but still stiff enough to allow quick travel across the surface. In fact, this took some getting used to. The last time I waded through snow, my footprints created holes significantly deeper than anyone else. It took a few moments to figure out why today's footprints were shallower than their historical neighbours. Each step I expected to sink in hard, but here I was, bounding along, almost uninhibited by the white terrain. Winter hill running is my new favourite hobby, but one which will be hard to realise again, considering the chances of a repeat of such glorious conditions.

I no longer wish for a warm climate, given this experience, just some deeply treaded shoes.

Current weight is 13 stones (182 pounds / 82.5 kg).