Creag nan Damh. Photo: Chris Eilbeck CC-BY-SA-2.0

A retired headteacher has died while hillwalking in the Highlands.

Police were alerted at 10.30pm last night, Monday, when William Johnston was reported overdue from a walk in the Glen Shiel area.

Kintail Mountain Rescue Team and two handlers and animals from the Search and Rescue Dogs Association were joined in the search by a Sea King helicopter crew from RAF Lossiemouth, with the operation centred on the South Cluanie Ridge.

The rescuers found a man’s body in the early hours of today, in Am Fraoch-choire beneath Creag nan Damh.

The body was flown by the helicopter to the Dr Mackinnon Memorial Hospital at Broadford on Skye.

Police today named the dead walker as William John Johnston, 63, of Westhill, Aberdeen.

Mr Johnston’s next-of-kin have been informed.

The traverse of the length of the South Cluanie Ridge is a challenging 27km (17-mile) classic walk, taking in seven munros, including Creag nan Damh.