As we climb toward the summit of our dreams, there may be grey skies, cloudy days and setbacks.

In the Cairngorms, there is a rumour of a Grey Man, a Fearlas Mor, who roams the mountaintops waiting to waylay hopeful climbers. He has been reported as a ‘presence’ rather than a tangible being, and those sensible scientists have thought of a few explanations.

The ‘Broken Spectre’ is apparently a phenomenon which occurs when a break in the clouds allows us to see a reflection of ourselves on the next cloud, often accompanied by a rainbow called a Glory.

Despite this, some still feel the Grey Man is a manifestation of the spirit of the mountain – which is cool, if a little creepy.

We can all overcome troubles (even a great Grey Man) on the way to our dreams, especially if we are wearing some lovely comfy hand-knitted socks.

Construction: Rows begin at the start of sole stitches, ending with end of instep chart. These socks are knit from toe up in the round, with short row toes and heels. The foot is first knit with stockinette on the sole and pattern as charted over the instep. After the heel the pattern continues around the circumference of the leg.