Arran mountaineer captures stunning photo of a Brocken Spectre

A MEMBER of the Arran Mountain Rescue Team has captured a spectacular photograph of a Brocken Spectre while on patrol on Mullach Buidhe.

The picture of the spooky Brocken Spectre was captured on one of Arran's hills. Picture: Arran Mountain Rescue Team

Deputy team leader Ewan McKinnon captured the picture of the incredible spectre whilst looking from the ridge down towards Glen Sannox and posted it on the team’s Facebook page.

A Brocken spectre, or mountain spectre, is the magnified shadow of the person observing, projected onto a bank of mist or fog by strong sunlight.

The ‘spectre’ appears when the sun shines from behind the observer, who is looking down from a ridge or peak. The light then projects their shadow through the mist, often in a triangular shape due to perspective, and surrounds it in a halo of light known as a ‘glory’.

The weather effect is thought to be responsible for the Scottish legend of the Big Grey Man of Ben Macdui, who is said to inhabit the Cairngorm mountains, and was made famous in a rousing after-dinner tale by noted mountaineer J. Norman Collie.

The professor and famed climber allegedly told his fellow guests that there “is something very queer about the top of Ben MacDhui and I will not go back there again by myself I know”.

The term Brocken Spectre originates in Germany, where the Brocken is the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, and the location of the first recorded incident of the phenomenon in the 18th century.

The Arran Mountain Rescue Team is made up of volunteers from all over the island of Arran, they give up their time freely and without pay when an emergency arises, providing Search and Rescue assistance to walkers and climbers.

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