Photographer captures snap of Brocken spectre in Highlands

Sylvan Buckley pictured the rare natural spectacle from a ridge in Glencoe.

Photographer captures snap of Brocken spectre in Highlands Sylvan Buckley via SWNS

An amateur photographer has captured this picture of a Brocken spectre while hiking in the Highlands.

Sylvan Buckley, 45, captured the rare natural spectacle from a ridge in Glencoe with Ben Nevis in the background.

The rainbow halo appears when a person stands above the surface of a cloud – on a mountain or high ground – with the sun behind them.

He said the perfect weather conditions helped create the shot.

Sylvan, from Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, said: “I’ve seen one or two Brocken spectres while walking in the hills.

“I’m still always amazed when I see them as they’re like ghostly apparitions projected down onto the mist or fog.

“Although, this was the first time I’ve seen one with such a prominent almost full halo, so it felt a little bit more special for me.

“I expected that I might see a small fogbow as the fog rose and fell, but I didn’t expect it would be quite as vivid.

“I captured the photo at around 3.30pm just before sunset.

“The photo was taken from a ridge in Glencoe, in the distance is Ben Nevis.

“The weather when I took the shot was perfect, lovely and calm and not too cold once above the temperature inversion.

“Heading up the mountain the fog started to get a little thicker and a lot colder.

“But as soon as I broke through the cloud it was like a lovely mild fresh day.

“It was perfect weather conditions for a photo.”