Ben Cleuch rewind

[weaselmaster]

Back to Woods Campsite for the back of 9 after a warm and undisturbed night on call, to pick up Allison who'd been chilling in the tent. Fortunately not such a cold night as recently, she was still alive when I arrived. We packed up and set off to Tillicoultry to climb Ben Cleuch. Another sunny morning beckoned - what a fine week this has been. We erred by starting off up the Hill Path rather than the Glen Path, retraced our steps and set off into the glen. Last time I was here this path was shut for works - there was still considerable maintenance going on securing rockfall, building bridges and fences.

DSC02154 by Al, on Flickr

As we climbed out of the cleft of the river we gained the grassy slope of The Law. I remember Dave Hewitt being a little troubled that I'd completed the Donalds without including The Law, so this one was for him. Quite a few other folk about today but hardly any snow.

DSC02155 by Al, on Flickr

Summit - The Law
DSC02157 by Al, on Flickr

...for Dave
DSC02158 by Al, on Flickr

To Ben Cleuch
DSC02160 by Al, on Flickr


Having attained the summit of The Law we continued on to Ben Cleuch. Clag-bound when I was up before, the views were good today. We sat and had lunch and contemplated adding on Blairdenon Hill. However it was getting colder as the wind rose and some cloulds came in from the east, so we decided just to follow the trail down over Ben Ever and have a short day. That brings Allison only 14 Grahams behind me, we're getting there

DSC02161 by Al, on Flickr

DSC02162 by Al, on Flickr

Ben Ever
DSC02163 by Al, on Flickr

DSC02164 by Al, on Flickr

DSC02165 by Al, on Flickr

[Dave Hewitt]

so this one was for him

Good stuff! Glad to see that - and always good to see a repeat ascent of the main summit. Looks like a nice day. While you were there, I was around 150 miles further south adding one to the tally of my third most-climbed Marilyn in reasonable weather but some rather cruddy snow.

It's good to have the Mill Glen reopened, by the way - it was officially shut for more than five-and-a-half years, here's hoping the repair work holds together.

[denfinella]

Lovely photos - agree, the weather recently has been superb!

And even better to hear that the Mill Glen path has re-opened - I've been waiting to visit for a while.

[jmarkb]

Ha! We were also up there today, must have been an hour or so behind you. First time I've done it for ages - needed a short day to get home in time to get a train to Manchester. We went up the hill path and down the glen path - the former has some good views and minimal extra height gain. The latter is still something of a mess - the work hasn't quite finished, and it's all looking a bit industrial with reinforcing bolts, cables and netting everywhere. Looks like they have stripped off a load of vegetation in search of anything vaguely loose. No doubt it will recover in time, but it's going to take a while.

[Dave Hewitt]

it's all looking a bit industrial with reinforcing bolts, cables and netting everywhere. Looks like they have stripped off a load of vegetation in search of anything vaguely loose. No doubt it will recover in time, but it's going to take a while.

A couple of summers should see it looking a lot more grown-in. They've taken out quite a few big trees - including the root fans - as well as doing the main rock-stabilisation work, plus the lower of the two high bridges has been re-decked. It's been a Buxton-based company doing the work, starting in April. They've been based in the old quarry, with power courtesy of a very long blue cable supplying compressed air. My pal Mike and I had quite a long chat last week with the chief engineer and one of the council rangers - they were in the glen checking on various things, interesting to talk with them.