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A post quarter end flexi day (its an accountant thing) promising a chance to clear the head and feel like a normal human being again. Mountain weather forecast and MWIS were both promising clear skies all over so i was thinking a good long route. Come Thursday though MWIS changed and started talking about cloud. Best get a plan B on the go.
So Friday morning and it looked like MWIS would be right - off to Ballachulish it is.
Left the driveway at 4.30 and made good progress until Comrie where I got stuck behind the empty #15 bus. It's been so long since I've had the opportunity to be stuck behind this marvel of public transport at 6am and a trip to the South West Highlands isn't the same without it
Soon got past and driving through Tyndrum realised my plan to go shorter and "wester" was a good idea as the cloud sat low.
Got to Ballachulish at 8.15 and set off at 8.30.
The route start off walking through the village and up past the school. You head through a gate and hit a very boggy path that soon turns into a steep boggy climb. The saving grace is the speed you gain height and the fine fine views of Loch Leven.
About 600m a path is picked up again and the bog become a distant memory. At this point I hit the cloud. Still with the breeze and its wispiness I'm confident it'll blow off.
A further steep pull gets me up the the summit of Sgorr Dhearg. It looks like I'm the first up so enjoy sitting on the old cairn in the mist eating my sandwich.
After ten minutes I head down the ridge toward the next summit. As I drop something magical happens - could it be, it just might, yes the cloud is clearing off the top of Sgorr Dhonuill and one side of the ridge. Oh you beauty - I can see the ridge ahead, the summit and the sea beyond. What a view.
My progress slows as I take it all in in.
The bealach again returns to the bog but I soon leave it as I stride on with hopes of views pumping though my veins. The pull up to Sgorr Dhonuill is short and sharp again with a little scramble and a steep drop off one side into the cloud. Shame no brocken spectors.
I get the the summit and the cairn is in mist. drat. However i keep on walking and the small drop off puts me below the cloud with a fine view out to sea.
More food and fine views. happiness.
I head back and at this point the Spector show appears all the way down to the bealach. Also get a weird bow in the cloud. Does this have a name?
I also start seeing people ascending from the bealach and from over Sgorr Dhearg.
From the bealach down the first half of the descent is very boggy and half of the trees have been felled. Looks apocalyptic. For some reason all I can think is "A-kir-a" Weird when Ballachulish looks nothing like Neo-Tokyo.
The bog soon disappears again and I hit a good landy track through the pines down to the road.
Great walk with some fantastic atmospheric views.
