free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
We finally managed to set aside from free time that coincided with a half decent forecast on Saturday and decided to get off the mark for the year with a walk up Morven. A local hill which meant plenty of time to get up and down then relax for a bit before going out for dinner at 6.
Setting off a little later than we intended the sun was still shining when we arrived at the car park marked on the walk highlands map so we had high hopes of getting up and down before the rain which was forecast for later in the day. We set off over the stile beside the car and crossed the field towards the abandoned farmhouse, scattering a flock of wooly friends as we went and trying in vain to catch a photo of the lapwings as they performed aerobatics nearby.
Unfortunately as we slogged up the hill and got closer to the shoulder beneath the first small cairn it was clear that our hopes were going to be dashed. The sky around us and above got darker and darker as we climbed higher and by the time we reached the middle cairn we had been enveloped by the clagg. Boo. Imagine my suprise then to be greeted by someone coming the other way wearing shorts...
"Hello! How's the view up top?" asked I.
"Bwahahahahahahaha" said he. "You'll see".
"Or not" I replied. Ah the humour of those that know they're now on a futile quest.
We briefly considered stopping for lunch to see if it would lift at all or even turning back but the map indicated that it was just a short sprint to the summit and the path was well defined at this point so we pressed on.
As we now expected there was nothing to see at the summit and even more annoyingly we could hear loads of interesting bird calls which seemed just metres away. Couldn't see a single one of the culprits though. Instead we snapped a couple of quick summit pics on top of the cairn and tore into some lunch in the windshelter as the rain finally arrived.
We didn't waste much time and soon headed back down the hill with my camera now back in it's case and in the rucksack as there was only so many pictures of a mist covered path I wanted to take. I briefly spotted a deer running from us but by the time we got to the point were I saw it the beast had long disappeared into the clagg.
Once we cleared the mid cairn again air cleared slightly and we could now see a bit further ahead. Past the small cairn towards the shoulder and we could again see the surrounding area and were finally free of the fog. Unfortunately we weren't free of the rain though so we got the heads down and concentrated on getting down to the car.
Off the shoulder and in sight of the car again we noticed it had been joined by another one but I couldn't see anyone approaching us on the path up. Shortly after the reason for this became clear as we saw an older couple bumbling around in the heather far to our left.
"Is there a path over there?" they shouted
"Er... yes" I replied.
Turns out they'd parked at the bottom, headed straight into the woods then climbed over walls and barbed wire before scrambling through the heather in an attempt to reach the top. Dunno what they were thinking of when they set out that day but they at least appeared to have thought to take waterproofs with them as they started to put them on once they joined us on the path. They asked us were the path we were on ended up at the bottom so we told them it ended right beside the cars.
As we went our seperate ways I handed them the walk highlands printout so they could hopefully stay on the correct path all the way up should they decide to continue in the increasingly foul weather. Perhaps they'll notice the URL and decide to use the site next time they plan a walk.
We reached the bottom as the rain eased off a little and the lapwings were still making noise and having fun. The view at the top may have been non-existent but it was great to get out of the house and properly stretch the legs for the first time this year. Hopefully that sets us off for the summer now and we can get a few more under our belts with slightly better weather on top next time!
![Morven00001.jpg]()
- View from the car park
![Morven00002.jpg]()
- Disused farmhouse
![Morven00004.jpg]()
- Getting higher but can still see the car just
![Morven00010.jpg]()
- Almost to the shoulder
![Morven00011.jpg]()
- Last glimpse of the car for a while
![Morven00013.jpg]()
- Getting darker...
![Morven00015.jpg]()
- Still a couple of snow patches up there
![Morven00016.jpg]()
- Approaching first cairn
![Morven00020.jpg]()
- Ok, where'd the view go?
![Morven00022.jpg]()
- At least we can see the summit cairn
![Morven00028.jpg]()
- Right seen enough, lets get off this rock.
