![]() ![]() Sees full before him, gliding without tread, The viewless snow-mist weaves a glist’ning haze, For example, in his poem Constancy to an ideal Object Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote: Since then, spectres have often appeared in literature. The naturalist Johann Silberschlag is first credited with observing and describing a spectre he saw from the peak in 1780. Cloud or mist drapes its flanks for as many as 300 days a year, creating ideal conditions for spectres to appear. While a relatively low peak, it does protrude above the treeline and its northerly latitude results in alpine conditions more often found on much higher mountains. While trampers and climbers have witnessed Brocken spectres in many mountain ranges around the world (Eric Shipton famously saw one during an ascent of Mt Kenya in 1929), the term comes from a specific 1141m peak called Brocken – the highest in Germany’s Harz Mountains. As you move along the ridge, the Brocken spectre moves ghost-like along the clouds, but – when your shadow falls over lower or higher clouds – can appear to suddenly jump. The halo itself is called the ‘rings of glory’. Panoramic Ireland’s photography workshops are available to book, throughout summer, autumn and winter 2020.Where to go for your best chance of seeing this ghostly phenomenonĮver been on the tops, above the clouds, with the sun at your back and noticed that your long, triangular shadow is cast onto the mist, with a curious halo effect, like a circular rainbow around your head? If so, you’ve witnessed a Brocken spectre, also, less commonly, known as a Brocken bow or mountain spectre. There are references to the brocken spectre in Irish history and strong references throughout Europe. Technically here the camera is seeing its own brocken spectre and ringed glory, each person standing to your side would see their own and not yours or anyone else’s. The ringed glory is also due to the low angle of the sun, creating a rainbow halo around the viewer - again opposite to the direction of light from the sun. And what is a ringed glory?īoth are magical phenomena - the brocken spectre takes its name from the Brocken, a mountain in Germany’s Harz Mountains where low sunlight shining across the mountain creates a shadowy figure opposite to the direction of the sun. What is a Brocken Spectre I hear you ask. There has been a church on top of Croagh Patrick since the 5th century, today’s building dates from the 1910s. We took our time ascending the easy start, the saddle and the dangerous scree slope to reach the top to be greeted with views of majestic scenery.Ī few minutes later, alone on the church-topped peak we were treated to a magical scene of a Brocken Spectre and Ringed Glory - see the panoramic image below: Panorama of Brocken Spectre and Ringed Glory on Croagh Patrick, Ireland Surprisingly, the end of July on a tall Atlantic mountain is often clouded in.Ī case in point, the end of January 2008 and a winter’s afternoon climb of this iconic, conic mountain saw better weather at the top than at the base. On each occasion, the winter climbs have afforded the best views and finest weather. I have climbed Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday several times, and a few times outside of the July pilgrimage. Many still observe prayers and stations of the cross on their long, slow shoe-less climb. This is the site of one of Ireland’s traditional pilgrimages, on the last Sunday in July thousands of people make their way to this peak to climb for penitence and absolution. Often the weather at sea level is fine and balmy, but on top after the gruelling climb it has dropped significantly and cloud moves in. The 764m conical quartzite mountain rises above Clew Bay with its reputed 365 islands (much less in reality) and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. ![]() Here is a case in point, a panoramic image from Panoramic Ireland of one of the most well known, and most holy of Irish mountains - Croagh Patrick in County Mayo. ![]()
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