Golden Light on Goatfell
A fleeting moment of warmth on Arran’s highest peak
A fleeting moment of warmth on Arran’s highest peak
Every now and then, a moment unfolds in front of the lens that feels like a gift. This photograph was taken late in the day, just as the last of the sun was skimming the ridges of Arran’s northern mountains. I’d been out for a while, not expecting much — the sky had been heavy with thick winter cloud, and the light was mostly flat. But as so often happens on Arran, the weather shifted in an instant.
A break opened in the cloud just as the sun was dropping. For barely a minute, it sent a soft, golden beam slicing through the gloom — and it landed squarely on Goatfell. The rest of the landscape was already in darkness, the details lost in shadow. But the summit lit up like it was being quietly summoned into view.
Goatfell is no stranger to drama. At 874 metres, it’s the island’s highest point, a rugged and imposing peak that seems to draw the weather to it. It’s not just the height — it’s the shape of it too. Jagged granite ridgelines, sheer drops, and snow in the gullies that lingers long after it’s melted from lower ground. In winter, the textures become even more stark. The contrast of rock, ice, and shadow gives it a kind of presence that’s hard to look away from.
I was standing on a lower path to the south-west, with nothing but moorland between me and the mountains. The wind had dropped. The only sound was the occasional call of a raven circling overhead. And then, just for a few seconds, this great luminous cloud drifted above the summit — lit from beneath, soft pink and amber against the deepening blue of the evening sky.
These are the moments I chase with the camera. Not necessarily the big sweeping views or clear skies, but the quieter kind of drama — where the landscape seems to pause, just briefly, and reveal something unexpected. It’s not always easy to catch. I’ve missed more of these moments than I’ve managed to photograph. But maybe that’s what makes them so special.
This image is part of an ongoing series capturing Arran through the winter months — when the island quietens down, the colours deepen, and the mood changes completely. It’s a time when the light feels rarer and more precious, and when even familiar places like Goatfell take on a different kind of character.
