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A great Friday for not being at work. My 'Support Team/Driver/Sherpa' was at work but agreed to drop me off somewhere so long as it didn't make her late for work.
So at 0630hrs I was ejected from the car at Firkin Point on Loch Lomond by a now late-for-work wife.
I didn't have a lot planned to be honest other than wanting to play with my shiny new Garmin GPS Oregon 450
Cruach Tairbeirt the sub2000 was a definite but after that I wasn't firmly set on anything.
So glad I bothered with Cruach Tarbeirt. The day was perfect, clear for miles, not too hot and even the midges were just biting playfully.
Took the path under the station at Tarbet and then no messing up the path, keep straight into the forest, good clear track but was glad that I could GPS mark the point I left the tree line to make returning easier. Fantastic views in all directions. Spent the best part of 30 minutes looking around! very unusual behaviour for me. Well worth a look even if the smaller peaks aren't your thing. Toyed with the idea of finding another way off but common sense won the day.
Wandered across Arrochar and started up towards The Cobbler and Beinn Narnain. Have not done either before and even at this point hadn't made up my mind! Enjoyed the well trodden route up and my first close look at The Cobbler. Will be back when I have some-one on hand to take my picture threading the needle. When the path split I chose the Munro with the plan being to go up Beinn Narnain, across the ridge to A'chrois and then back down to Arrochar.
Was really on a high, the weather and visibility were great and the views better than expected. My photographs didn't do them justice. Spent a while pouring over the map naming the distant mountains visible.
Started playing with the GPS at this point and transferred my planned route onto it as waypoints. Had a coffee and some squashed cheese rolls then started off again.
Loved the ridge across to A'chrois. The day was hotter than expected and I was running low on fluids - should have refilled in Arrochar, learnt a lesson there.
Got up to A'chrois - at the time I thought it was a Corbett ....have since learnt differently but nothing will take away the experience. Enjoyed the views once again, this was definately a day for lingering at the summits. Had a planned route down from my trusty Loch Lomond & the Trossachs book (Cicerone books). Noted that the writer had used this route up. Checked and checked again, I wouldn't mind coming up this way as I would not be looking down. Not afraid to say my fear of heights kicked in - how steep !
Followed my planned route but large sections were spent inching down carefully on my bum, glad I was using a walking pole today for the first time ever, I shortened it and it gave a bit of confidence in parts. Kept straying from my carefully programmed GPS route as I back-tracked a few times looking for less steep options. I inched down telling myself to "man-up" and hoped no one was watching me through bino's thinking I was in need of rescue.
At one point I found myself metres away from a young stag - unfortunately he was off before my camera came out.
Soon reached flatter ground and then it was just the horrendous overgrown bit to get through before reaching the trees. Got straight onto the zig-zag forest road I was looking for. Zapped by the sun and a little tired I thought I knew better and took a quicker way down to the forest road.
Improving - it was only five minutes before I decided I was being an idiot and retraced my steps. Got onto the forest road to Succoth and then Arrochar. Very pleased to be met at the bridge in Arrochar by my wife carrying two chilled cans of Irn-Bru.
Great day
Note: Edited 7/7/11 to get the photo's in the correct order and add my route.
