Ben Vrackie for sunset

[malky_c]

Corbetts: Ben Vrackie.
Date: 08/03/2023.
Distance: 9km.
Ascent: 650m.
Time taken: 3 hours 5 minutes.
Weather: Cold, calm and clear. Very little snow around.

We were planning to leave Glasgow early enough to stop for a swim somewhere on the road to Inverness before it got dark, but after looking at the weather forecast I decided to take the afternoon off so we could walk somewhere too. We still weren't on the way until 2pm though. After a swim in Loch Faskally (cold, with some ice around the edges), we wondered where to walk.

Swimming in Loch Faskally

Ben Vrackie hadn't really been the plan and we were cutting it fine, not leaving the carpark in Moulin until after 4pm. But the nights are lighter now and we had headtorches. There were a couple of other folk around but it was pretty quiet. Were we going to just wander up to the lochan or go to the summit?

Ben_Vrackie_for_sunset_.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Loch a' Choire

Ben Vrackie from Loch a' Chorie

The summit was too tempting to miss so we went for it. Fortunately there was no snow until the last 50m, and even then it was only a dusting - we only had trail shoes and no winter gear with us (deliberately to avoid us attempting daft things like this).

Meall na h-Aodainn Moire across the loch

Looking up at the summit crags

South across Strathtay

Shiehallion, Loch Tummel and Glencoe

Stob Binnein, Ben More and Ben Lawers

Our timing was just about perfect - an amazing sunset that we arrived on the summit just in time for. No hanging around required! It's been a while since I've seen a good sunset from a summit.

Sun going down over Loch Tummel/Loch Rannoch

Beinn a Ghlo from the summit

East to the Glen Shee hills - where the snow is

Summit photo

Sun going...

...going...

...gone

There was plenty of light to get us back to the lochan, after which it became harder to see. It was a good path though and we didn't need to get the torches out until we were almost back in the woods.

Last light on Loch a' Choire

An excellent snatched afternoon followed up by a chippy in Pitlochry (although we missed the good chippy by 2 minutes). Then the long drive back to Inverness.