While the frosty mornings may cause us a few grumbles, Scottish winters can make up for it with some truly stunning sights.

This is the moment a man stood above the clouds to capture one of the most beautiful night skies seen above Scotland.

Chris Miles, 35, had been waiting for years to see the sky with the clouds blocking the lights of the towns and cities below.

Then, when word came through that fog was lying heavy across the central belt earlier this week, he grabbed his camera and his dog and off he went.

"For the many years I've been walking in the hills I've dreamed of a perfect walk where I could be on top of a snow covered hill, above the clouds, in a blanket of stars, and to top it off, watch the moon rise across the clouds," he says.

"Having all the pieces come together at the right time is very tricky, as low cloud inversions are only prominent at certain times of year and to be able to coincide it with moon rise, clear skies, and snow-covered hills makes it difficult."

Chris, a software developer from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, drove to nearby Tomtain in the Kilsyth Hills.

As he climbed higher, the moon rose with him in the sky under a blanket of stars and street lights could be seen reflected on the clouds below.

Chris set up his camera and stood in front of it with his dog taking in the view.

"At first I thought I wasn't going to be able to get high enough to break through the top of low hanging cloud," he says.

"Then the stars started to appear one at a time until I emerged into one of the darkest skies I've ever seen in the central belt."

For Chris, it will remain a sight that he will never forget.

"All the light pollution from the towns and cities were trapped under hundreds of metres of cloud," he says.

"If it wasn't so cold, even in my mountain clothing, I would have stayed there all night."