A Castle for One

[WeeHills]

The last weekend in May and at last proper, warm sunny May weather has arrived. Time for a proper walk. It's also a bank holiday weekend, allegedly, I don't get Monday off, so settle on an early start to beat the crowds on Sunday. It is 5.30am on the dot as I leave the petrol station and head out of town for another jaunt up the A82, today's targets being An Caisteal and Beinn a' Chroin. I have selected these as I reckon they make for an interesting walk in their own right so it matters not whether the views around are clear.

I arrive at my destination at twenty to seven and relax with a cup of coffee before heading off. There's no rush today and I only had one cuppa before leaving so caffeine levels are unacceptably low. Could probably have stopped in bed for another hour, there are only a couple of other vehicles in the lay-by and not a soul to be seen, but I'm glad of the early start, even at 7am it is pleasantly warm as I set off in nothing but base layers.

After following the track a way I come to the second gate, and the first problem. I hate these stupid stiff springs, I have neither the strength nor the weight to shift them half the time. This one I have managed to open without too much difficulty but it takes about ten attempts to close it again. On the way back I just climb over the darn thing, saves a whole load of hassle!. Minor disgruntlement at gates aside the ascent up Sron Gharbh has me in good spirits. This is a pleasing route with enough rocky outcroppings and squelchy bits to keep it interesting and the views are fine if hazy, over the surrounding hills. The pull up is interspersed with flattish sections so I'm not too out of breath when I arrive at the ridge line to be greeted by a handful of sheep and a the lovely meandering path ahead to An Caisteal.

Hazy early morning views to Ben More

The delightful walk towards An Caisteal

The walk from Sron Gharbh to An Caisteal is an absolute joy. Sun shines down on me while cloud swirls around the neighbouring tops lending an atmospheric touch. The route enjoys varied features, crags and clefts and little valleys. I saunter along enjoying the scenes and the solitude.

An Caisteal valley

An altogether pleasing morning stroll that soon sees me approaching The Castle itself. It is bathed in sunshine but clouds are gathered atop neighbouring Beinn a' Chroin. I wonder if they'll disperse by the time I get there? No matter, it is fine right here and right now and shortly I find myself on the castle top. There is not another person to be seen. It is entirely my own, and I always wanted a castle to myself too (preferably Caerlaverock with it's amusingly triangular configuration). And what a delightful spot it is with it's funny wee cairn and panoramic views. Perfect peace which fully justifies the 5am alarm.

Sunny castle, but cloudy on Beinn a'Chroin

A castle just for me

I linger a while, enjoying my own personal castle, before heading on to the summit. The walking remains pleasurable and the views back to the rocky promontory that gives the hill its name from the summit cairn are splendid. I say cairn, there are three of them, they appear to be breeding up here. It is time for more coffee and a bite to eat before tackling the slightly more difficult proposition that is Beinn a' Chroin.

Summit cairn, or one of them anyway, on An Caisteal

Beinn a' Chroin remains somewhat shrouded in cloud as I set off, I reckon on a 50/50 chance of it clearing by the time I get to the top. Descending down to the bealach between the two munros is where the route begins to require a little more concentration.. It is a little steep, a little scrambly, a little bouldery. Nothing drastic but enough of a challenge for me to slow to snail's pace. On the plus side the clouds seem to be clearing. None the less I am relieved when I reach the lochan and face the prospect of more up, which I always find less challenging than down.

Clouds hover over Beinn a' Chroin as I leave An Caisteal

But they seem to be shifting as I get closer

Glad to be down from An Caisteal and done with the boulders

Lochan at the bealach

It is a short, if steepish, dauner back up to Beinn a' Chroin, aided greatly by the zig-zagging path, at least until you hit the wee scramble. It isn't very far, not far enough to bother packing away my walking poles, which is probably a mistake as scrambling is generally easier with two free hands, but why make life easy for myself? As I reach the top of this section a young man appears as if from nowhere behind me. I hadn't noticed his approach at all. He probably caught up as I was gingerly picking my way v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y downwards. After returning his cheerful greeting I let him pass. He's younger, fitter and about a foot taller than me.

Beinn a' Chroin has a completely different character to its neighbour, all knobbly rock outcrops and dotted with wee lochans which the path wends through, but is an equally pleasing hill. Once more I saunter and enjoy, the sun is now shining here, the weather gods are looking favourably upon me today. Young, fit bloke is sunbathing at the summit cairn when I arrive so I don't stop but head on to the second cairn, which I think is the lower, but don't really care one way or the other, it is just nice to be up high on a glorious day.

One of the wee lochans dotted around Beinn a' Chroin

South east from Beinn a' Chroin

Another cairn, looking west towards the summit

It is now almost 11, so definitely dinner time given my early start, and of course more coffee is needed. As it is breezy I find a wee sheltered spot by some rocks for a food stop, with views back down Glen Falloch and towards the other Crianlarich munros. A warm and leisurely picnic before heading back towards the car.

A fine spot for some dinner

Eventually I haul myself up and begin the not too steep or difficult descent back down into the glen. Even Stob Binnein has shed its crown of cloud now and the views on the downward path are as pleasing as those headed up. I'm glad to be on the homeward trail though as it really is very warm now and the combination of sun and lack of sleep has me stopping to down a couple of paracetemol as the first signs of a headache threaten.

Descending down into Glen Falloch

Stob Binnein come out to play

Down I plod, enjoying the fine weather and finer views. It's all going so well until the last 100m of steep descent when the second problem of the day hits and my gammy leg decides to go on strike. It does this from time to time quite randomly and usually at inopportune moments. Now it collapses under me every ten paces resulting in four or five sit downs, which I wouldn't mind, the landing is soft grass, but for the fact that now it is middayish and there are other people around. I am acutely aware that two lads are headed down not far behind me who probably think I'm a complete numpty who shouldn't be allowed out on my own. This is not good for my ego!

Thankfully once the flat valley floor is reached stupid, gammy leg remembers how to work and all that is left is the gloriously squishy path back along the banks of The Falloch which is my kind of walking. Well, that and the incredibly slow drive home, as apparently every idiot in Scotland has headed for Loch Lomond today, but even they can't spoil my mood, it has been a grand day out.