HILL-WALKERS have been caught off guard atop Munros in Scotland as the country was hit with the first snow of the season.
Images emerged online yesterday showing hill walkers caught in blizzards across Scotland’s highest peaks.
One image shows a blanket of snow scattered across the rocky summit of Ben Nevis.
The snow is seen to be around 2cm deep and has plastered across all of the surrounding rocks and boulders.
Another video has captured the moment one hill-walker was surprised by a blizzard whilst climbing Lochnagar near Balmoral in Aberdeenshire yesterday.
The video shows the atmospheric rocky mountain being dusted in small white snowflakes emerging from the surrounding grey murky clouds.
Iain Ballantyne, who captured the images on Ben Nevis, shared photos to Facebook yesterday (MON), writing: “Omg! Snow on the summit of the Ben today.
“Around 2cm on the summit itself although very soft and superficial.
“The snowline starts just below Mcleans rise, about 50m vertically below the summit.”
Whilst Christian Howell, who climbed Lochnagar, shared the video to his Mountain Guide page, Walk Glencoe, writing: “The first snow of the season on Lochnagar today.
“Even the down jacket made an appearance, I was feeling very chilly indeed on the traverse of the White Mounth.”
The posts have now collected hundreds of likes and comments from social media users who were surprised by the early snowfall.
Siobhan Simpson said: “I’ll stick to the Corbetts for the rest of the year now.”
Sharon Hutcheson wrote: “Omg it’s to early for snow just now. Wait till Xmas, saying that people might get there sledges out and stop buying petrol.”
Zander Legge added: “Early this year for snow.”
And Anil Tewari commented: “I do like a bit of snow, it’s very early for snow though.”
Speaking today 39-year-old mountain leader Christian said: “It is pretty early for snow, it’s unusually cold.
“I wasn’t expecting to see snow for another couple of weeks.
“It took me by surprise, you’d expect it on Ben Nevis but not where I was at 900m.
“It was a cold and wet day, when the snow stopped the rain came back on.
“I always have the right kit, I had a survival bag and warm clothing so it wasn’t anything I wasn’t prepared for.
“It acts as a reminder for people to take warm layers and to be prepared when heading out on the mountains to make sure they don’t get caught off guard.”
