Working from Home on Ben Vorlich (Loch Lomond)

[skullhead]

I'd been looking for a hill that I could do from Glasgow on a weekday and hopefully get home before 9am and work started. Clearly pre-COVID there would be no danger of making it into Glasgow City Centre for 9am showered etc but I thought home in a sweaty mess might just about be achievable if I got up at around 4am.

I'd been utterly spoiled weather wise with a brilliant day on Ben Nevis a few days before so I was keen to see if it was like this every time (I found out a few days later on Beinn Bhuidhe that this is certainly not the case!). So the challenge was set. I left the power station car park at around 5:40am ish and made good progress along the hydro track getting to the stoney path still in the mist. No route finding mishaps this time.

Hydro path back down toward the Loch

Start of the path up the hill

I found the path pretty steep and it was quite humid so a pretty sweaty affair. I was definitely the only person on the hill at 6am that day. The mist was only broken by shadowy sheep emerging and running off frantically in random directions.

Spooky sheep

I thought that I must be at least 2/3rds of the way up by this point judging from distance traveled. I noticed that the sky was brightening - little did I know what I was in for!

Clouds what clouds?

I've never been in a cloud inversion before and didn't think this was a likely experience in the west of Scotland. I can only describe it as being similar to emerging from underwater the contrast was really that stark.

The going became a lot easier and I was totally absorbed by the views - fantastic in every direction. The only disappointment was that I wasn't really sure what the other hills I was looking at were. I spent a good forty minutes or so with the watch paused just enjoying the summit before realising that my clocking in time was fast approaching.

Wow!

Beinn Ime?

More wow

Ben Lomond peeking out?

And again

again

again

again

terry towelling making a comeback

The road to?

Taking one or two last looks I then descended back under the cloud layer with an immense sense of satisfaction

Bye bye sun!

. The descent was pretty hassle free but a little slippy in the wet and every slug in the west had decided to slither (does a slug slither?) onto the path. No matter it felt as if I was running on air all of the way back down the hydro track. I did pass a couple of others on the way but didn't give away what I'd just seen - it was probably gone by the time they were at the top.

Time to go!

I got back to the car and afforded myself the luxury (or misfortune depending on your view) of McDonalds pancakes and coffee and eventually pulled back into the drive at about 9:20. Not bad going before breakfast!

A great hill with lots of character that I'd like to visit again highly recommended. A bike could be useful for the track to the start of the path up the hill. My guess is that it is about 3-4km each way.

[Alteknacker]

Nice to see what this one looks like. I've only been up in quite heavy clag!

Takes a lot to beat a good cloud inversion - glad you experienced one!

[weedavie]

I once did Narnain, Ime and Vane in inversion, with the cloud at about 913 metres. Each time after Narnain I was on tenterhooks about what I'd see from the next one. It was amazing emerging each time, with cloud more or less at my ankles on Vane. Knackering day, but.