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I haven't been out for a little while so was looking forward to this walk, unfortunately the "pup" was back at college so I was on my lonesome but it was still to be a good day.
Away from the house early, hopefully didn't wake everybody up sneaking out the door at 6 ish, easy drive over from the Lothians, just followed the smell of discarded Greggs "pokes" and the glint off the Buckie bottles and found my way to Lomondside. I haven't been up this way since my time at Faslane and Coulport so it was quite nice to see the area again.
Got parked up at Succouth, paid my £1 for parking and got under way by 0815. There were a few walkers setting off before me, but didn't really see anyone else as I headed up the concrete blocks. There are loads of detailed reports on this aspect of the walk, its enough to say the feint path up is more of stream than a path and when you get to Cruach nam Miseag there isn't much evidence of a path towards the Spearhead. Little bit of scrambling, which suprisingly I enjoyed, must have been my session at Go Ape on Thursday, turning me into mountain man(not!!)
At this stage the weather didn't follow the MWIS script as the cloud came rolling in and vis was really limited, cos I couldn't see a thing. I came across a couple of false summits with little cairns, which just meant I got the hipflask out a few times, oh well.
The scramble up the side of the Spearhead was cracking, really enjoyed that bit, and soon made the trig point, and broke into the hipflask again hic
Unfortunately the cloud cover really made it pointless attempting to take any phots which was a shame, cos I think the views would have been very good.
After a quick coffee and hobnob it was off down to Bealach a' Mhaim, this is when I got my first view of the Cobbler, and I thought if I'm feeling ok and time permits I'll try that on the way back.
The path or lack off up to Beinn Ime is in a right state, sodden soggy mess nearly all the way until you contour slightly round to the summit and probably the best little shelter there is.
On the ascent I had a bit of company with first person I had seen since setting off, nice fella up from Luton for bit of walking holiday, he'd came in from Inveruglas and was swithering on doing a another couple of peaks.
We had some lunch and a wee nip hic
, and he was on his way north.
At this the cloud was drifting in and out giving glimpses all around off what could have been.
By this time on the top the wind had picked up so I headed back down the way I came, looking over to catch little shots of the Cobbler.
It was alot busier around the base here and I spoke with a couple of guys who had just been up, got a calm spell and had threaded the needle, many congrats guys. I made my way up the steps and soon reached the top for my first look at the (in)famous Cobbler, with the visibilty at a few metres and a brisk wind I took a quick look and thought .... never gonna happen
I think the sheer drops and the rocks in the cloud give the hill quite a presence, I hung around for a little while soaking it up then started back down to the coire and my way back to the car. Nice steady walk back alongside the burn and back at my car just after 4 ish.
Cleaned up and around to the Ben Arthur Bothy for a pint and as I sat looking across the loch to the hills I had just walked, guess what........ the heavens opened up, and I thought... timing to perfection.
