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Today was to have been a double munro day. We had planned to attempt Ben Lawers and it's neighbour, Beinn Ghlas but the MWIS report suggested that cloud cover wouldn't lift much above 1000m and so we selected Schiehallion instead at just over 1000m. The "we" in this case was not just me and my usual climbing buddy, Drew. Martin has recently joined our little walking team and this was to be his first munro.
As we drove through Crieff and Aberfeldy, the weather seemed hopeful: sunshine breaking through small gaps in the clouds and quite different clouds from the tight low cloud we'd had for days before. Anyhow we arrived at the car park just a shade after 9 and got kitted up and off by 9.15. It was not yet busy but that was to change! The summit of the hill was still shrouded in cloud but we expected that and were prepared for it so not overly disappointed this early in the day.
The path is excellent and well made all the way up to the first cairn about which more later.
My sharp eyes also spotted this wild pansy.
Our views of the distant panorama were excellent if a little hazy and even at this distance of at least 25 miles, you can clearly see the scar of a path up Carn Liath near Blair Atholl. Unfotunately not visible in the photograph - the Beinn a Ghlo range is towards the right hand side in the far distance.
The path steepens a little as it turns round to the south of the hill but the views continue to become better and better and the surrounding hills better defined. The rocky landscape becomes much rockier and before you know it the boulder field is upon you!