After my success of finding a dry route up meal ghoardaidh 2 days ago I thought I'd repeat my inspiration. But it was not to be. As the weather's been relatively dry there was little need to find a different route. My main suggestion is to go on further than where everyone turns off the track. Especially so you dont have to cross the burn.
I set off from inveruglas car park with my bike at 6.30 pm. Along the road first and then turned right to go up the loch sloy track. The gate barred my way and the kissing gate looked impossible for my bike. However, pulling the gate on the kissing gate, took it right open with easy access through. The cycle up felt hard work, despite tarmac all the way to the turn off, and I did wonder if it was worthwhile. I cycled across the bridge along the track, but gave up pretty soon and locked my bike to the fence, 3 km were done already.
7 pm and I started my walk.
Pretty straightforward going up. I met a lady coming down who said she was concerned about another group a but ahead of me who had a two year old with them. I said I'd make sure they were ok, and that I'd carried my kids up when they were wee ( I was still breast feeding taking them up Cruachan). What I felt was more of an issue is whether they had the right kit. A bivvy bag to be able to snuggle in with a kid and full sets of waterproofs. I eventually caught up with them near the summit. I wasn't convinced they had enough kit with them, but they seemed fit enough. I kept an eye on the weather till midnight. As there was no mobile reception on the ridge or on the summit (v unusual- I even get mobile reception on summits in Knoydart.
Anyway. Summit at 8.15. Summit cairn had an orienteering marker on it. Was that from the Lamm? My friends back home thought the Lamm was last week though.
- summit looking north west
- summit looking south west, A'Chrois in middle, Ben Lomond on left
Straightforward to come back down. Back at bike at 9.15. Then a glorious run down on the bike, which definitely made the cycle up worthwhile. Back at the car by 9.
The rocks on the ridge have the odd gaping hole in. I understand it's the way these rocks cooled around all of the Arrichar alps. Ben Donich in particular. A number if years ago someone walked from the summit of A 'Chroish straight to Arrochar, but never arrived. He fell down a cleft in the forestry that wasn't visible. Just a word of warning about straying from the paths.
