On top of the world .....

ok, maybe not quite!

Today we took Britain's only mountain gondola ride 650m up to Aonach Mor, lying beside Ben Nevis. From here we took the marked pathway towards Ben Nevis. Unfortunately there were thick clouds and it was very windy - fleeces and coats were definitely needed today! But we persevered and the sun did manage to make a number of brief appearances. We stopped off at the Snowgoose restaurant, located at the gondola top station, for a bite to eat and a hot drink to warm us up before taking the second route in the opposite direction.

The shot is of Matthew perched on top of the world! In the distance you can see Loch Lochy and the surrounding mountain ranges.

This evening we popped into Fort William for dinner in a hotel restaurant we spotted earlier in the day. Another great meal, followed by traditional live Scottish music in the form of a man playing the accordion and everyone having a sing-song. Special guests in for the evening were a Norwegian folk band.

As we drove back into the estate where we were staying, on the lawn, right in front of the apartments was a beautiful stag. He ran across the drive onto the grass verge but didn't seen perturbed that we had stopped and were watching him. A lovely end to the day.