pr301 Bennachíe:
Bennachíe (Gaelic, pronounced Ben-ahee,) is a mountain range in the northeast of Scotland where I hiked it's most prominent peak Mither Tap with my close friend Pete Stollery. On that same trip, I climbed Ben Nevis (the highest point in the UK). Traveling through the highlands of Scotland reminded me of the alpine tundra I've spent considerable time on in the Colorado Rockies.
Bennachíe is about both of these places, Scotland and the Rockies, and the freedom I feel when toiling up mountains and at high elevations. The vistas on top of a summit are always similar: wide open 360 degree views that both remind how big the world is, and at the same time, how small (and isolated in short time spans) we are as humans. There are significant differences in vegetation and the individuality of each mountain-there is always something special to bring home from each in terms of memories and sensations. I've tried to capture those sensations here, both from the mountains themselves and from the exhilaration of climbing out of trees and onto the tundra. |
