free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
First walk of the year, and I must admit not one I will look back on with too many fond memories.
Apart from a misty summit the weather was pretty good and I worked up a fair sweat getting to the Falls - too many layers, stopped to shed one. The path is steep and quite badly eroded in this section and I was looking forward to getting onto the open moorland section, but once I got there found the going very hard. Although there was frost on the ground it was only a thin layer and underneath the going was pretty boggy. This section dragged on for ages with the best views at your back, and I didn't seem to be getting any closer to Beinn Chabhair.
Around this time I was seriously thinking about chucking it - my legs were feeling very heavy and I felt low on energy, also I could now see that the summit was covered in mist so knew there would be no views at the top. After a sit down by the burn I decided to carry on and at last began another very steep climb. At this time I saw the first and only other people on my walk - 4 guys descending about 100m away, never saw them again though. Come to think of it I never saw any wildlife either.
After three hours reached the summit and after 20mins rest set off back the way I had come. Legs were very shaky by the time I got back to The Drovers.
On reflection I don't think this was the best choice for a days walk after a couple of months off drinking and eating too much and exercising too little. If we ever get a 2 month drought in Scotland I might well re-visit this one and enjoy the views.
At least I am off and running in 2011 now and by the end of the year hope to have taken my Munro tally to 30 (give or take ten).