Britain's wild places: vital to our imaginations

Recently, I climbed Maol Chean-dearg, a mountain in the far north-west of Scotland. Down in the glens, it was not far above freezing, and the cold air pooled as mist. But up on the summits the sun blazed, and the temperature touched 15C. The result was one of the most dazzling cloud inversions I have seen in 30 years.