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I had decided this was going to be my walk in the non-alcoholic period between Xmas & New Year (aye right!). I had been texting back and forward to another user of this site (David) and we planned to attack on the 30th, hoping to see a bit of snow. I had been sitting in an office for all of the previous week looking out at perfect winter conditions and beautiful blue sky so I knew the weather would be crap for our walk
. When I got into the car in Lanarkshire, with the thaw truly taking a hold and temperatures a balmy 8C I didn't fancy our chances of getting the crampons and ice axe out. However I didn't realise I had an ace up my sleeve in the shape of David. He had said he had always been lucky with weather and I hoped his presence would appease the mountain weather Gods.
As we got closer to the start, the temperature started to drop and clouds began to disperse leaving a wonderful blue skied, perfect winter microclimate. Jeeez I thought ~ who have I got sitting next to me in the car - Beelzebub himself
(only joking Dave, don't strike me with lighting
)
We unpacked in brilliant icy conditions in the car park at the end of the Inverlochcraig road and looked up to an icing sugar coated Stob Invercraig. We both had chosen this way in as we had read and heard that the ridge walk up to Stob Binnein is an excellent walk. We shimmied and skidded across the car park and road on our feet and started the climb ~ boy is it steep! Half way up this section Dave could see I was struggling to get a grip whilst he was making good progress using a walking pole. He decided to stick on his crampons and handed me the pole ~ immediate improvement and I'm now a convert (2 purchased since this walk). I decided to wait until we made the more pronounced snow line at the top before attaching my claws. We eventually reached the top of Creag Atair to be presented with the wonderful sweeping ridge of Na Staidhrichean all the way up to Stob Coire an Lochain. The weather was first class and we were taking lots of photographs.
We cracked on to Stob C-a-L (originally we thought this was Stob B as we could see another mountain behind it which we thought was Ben More, the viewing angle screwed up our concept of height ~ at least that's our excuse and we are sticking to it
We reached Stob C-a-L and then quickly realised that it was Stob B still in front of us and Ben More standing behind. After a quick chat with two other climbers who were making their way back down we charged forward on the final ascent.
We reached the top about 1.00pm (set off 9.15am). Much harder going in the snow than we anticipated and both of us were feeling it in the legs. Sat and had some food and I walked over to look at the possibility of carrying on to Ben More. Now I read a map reasonably well but I always believe you never get the real feeling of drop until you see it for yourself. I walked back to Dave to tell him it was serious undertaking to drop to the bealach and ascend BM especially as it would mean most of the return being done in dusk/dark.
Happy with what had been an excellent day we decided to leave BM for another day and started the walk back. Additional backpack weight and strain on the muscles was taking its toll on me and I started to get the cramps. Even although I had been munchin salt and vinegar peanuts all the way up!! This meant our descent was much slower than we would have expected. I have since gone out and bought a Platypus hydration pack to hopefully solve this. Dave helped the situation by turning mountain spring water into some kind of isotonic, muscle energy boosting, cramp calming, plasma for the final section. (I believe everyone should have a Beelzebub with them when they tackle a mountain
)
Finally got back to the car park and spent the next half hour / hour trying to get the car out of the skating rink!! Thanks to the guy, his son and his son's girlfriend (perhaps, don't know) who we had met earlier on the hill for supplying grit from the boot of their car to get us out.
All in all a brilliant day with good company. Now ~ to get that brute called Ben More. Dave, fire up the witchcraft and set the weather for a date in the near future.
BV
ps. I will come back and attach more pics at a later date