Spectre-acular sight: Hiker captures a rare Brocken spectre while camping in the Scottish hills

A hiker captured the rare natural spectacle of a 'Brocken spectre' while camping in the British hills.

Allan Donald, 48, was wild camping with his pet dog Buster when he spotted the stunning optical illusion - and said he felt 'blessed' to see it.

The mirage - named after the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, in Germany - occurs when magnified shadows are cast upon clouds, when the sun shines from the opposite direction.

A Brocken spectre captured by Allan Donald from Dumbarton while camping on Beinn Reithe on the Ardgoil Peninsula, Argyll

A rainbow spectrum appeared to form a circle around Allan's own shadow, as he snapped the shot early in the morning on Beinn Reithe on the Ardgoil Peninsula, Argyll.

The natural phenomenon has been associated with folklore and superstition for centuries, and is also known as d anticorona, glory, Brocken bow, or mountain spectre.

Electrical engineer Mr Donald woke up early on October 18 to take pictures of the mountain landscape. He said: 'Myself and my dog were wild camping on Beinn Reithe - he comes along on most of my camping and hill walking trips.

'We got up in the morning and the conditions were perfect as the sun rose over the hills on the other side of the loch, like a cold inversion.'

Keen hill-walker Mr Donald, from Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, added 'They're quite rare, I had seen one in winter last year but the conditions need to be right. I've seen a couple of broken spectres in my time but that's the clearest and brightest one I've seen. I felt blessed to see it.'