This is my wife Dot on the approach to the summit of Lochnagar. I am merged somewhere into the background with Barbara, the wife of Roger, who took the picture. They are old friends who were visiting Scotland with us for the first time from Canada in 2003. They hit a series of beautiful warm days, unlike today when, although it’s sunny (with an occasional shower), it’s bitterly cold. I have spent most of the day marking interview profiles written by my students at the University of East Anglia.

Dot and I have visited the Lochnagar area almost every year since about 1990 and climbed the mountain (1155 metres) four or five times. The whole area – Glen Muick, Ballater, Braemar, Corgarff etc – is stunning.