by ALANREIDHILLS » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:03 am
Munros included on this walk: Beinn Ìme
Date walked: 22/01/1964
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Alarm woke me at 5am and Mum and I left in the car(with Corrie) at 6. Passed through Helensburgh at 7.15 and reached Butterbridge at 8.15. By Arrochar it was fairly light, the village was still asleep, and a submarine slipped away from the pier.
We set off under a grey sky, though the mountain top was clear. The top 200 feet or so seemed a light grey colour. A buzzard was sitting on a rock quite close as we covered the first 500 feet. We had a rest 1000 feet below the summit, where we were beginning to feel a chill breeze. It had been quite mild below. When we reached the northern ridge, the wind became really cold and my hands were frozen. On reaching the last 200 feet, we found that the soil had a coat of ice on it and the final 100 were almost completely ice coated! The rocks were glazed and could not be gripped by feet, hands or gloves. The grass had ice sheets blown out to the west side and moss was covered in frozen dewdrops. This explained the grey colour. By this time the wind was freezing our ears and hands.
After admiring the view, including Cruachan, Ben Lui and Ben More-Stobinian, we set off down and soon got warm after leaving the ridge. A Buzzard wheeled overhead for some time at this point before disappearing. Clear crystal streams with bathing pools, freezing. Made good time down and took some photos because of clearer sky. Submarine near target on our way home, via Old Kilpatrick.
