1st Munro Ben Lomond

[David.Ferguson]

Hi

First Munro yesterday (Sat 29th Aug).

Arrived at Rowardennan at 7am.Very breezy and raining,white horses on the loch with 2 foot waves.Spent the next 15min helping a guy get his car started,just what i needed,pushing a car round the car park.He was going to have to wait for the ranger as it wouldn't start and none of us had jump leads.

Anyway,got my gear on and headed up at 7:30am.A very good path as many others have described and only met one other walker on his way down so had the place to myself (almost).Just amazing how quiet it was,no road noise,no nothing but the wind.Very peaceful. The first half was pretty calm and occasional heavy showers,with the rain jacket coming on and off a couple of times.Little did i know it would be a gale on top.Below is the view on the way up.Didn't think i would see anything when i got up top.



Made good time and loved the view back over the loch.



Got near the top and woolly hat and fleece went on under jacket as the wind chill and the rain made it feel really chilly.(Scottish summertime eh)

Took a few shots from the top,and got back down before i got blown down.








On the way down met many folks on there way up,one group were heading up with "Harry" who was completing his last Munro,what an achievment.It was so nice having everyone saying hello and morning.I run 4 or 5 days a week and the number of folks that look at their feet when you pass them, pretty sad.

Anyway,got back to the car park at 10:55 and absolutely loved my walk.Hopefully the start of many.

David.

[monty]

Hi David,
Well done on your first Munro.I was further up the loch today doing Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime. There were about thirty other walkers out up there today. You will find most walkers are very friendly and will stop for a quick chat if you engage them. The weather was terrible haha. Were these people looking at there feet to stop them tripping up??

[David.Ferguson]

Hi Monty

Yes maybe.My wife started running about a year ago and was really surprised at the number of people who just
avoid eye contact.She now says morning,afternoon or evening to everyone,just forces them into some kind of
response.

When on my way down i must have passed 30 or 40 on their way up,some in jeans,trainers and spit through cagoules.If they made it to the top they must have been freezing.

Cheers

David.

[Paul Webster]

Hi David

Good stuff - hope it will be your first hill of many

You beat those crowds and managed to get some quiet on Ben Lomond by starting early by the sound of it. You'll find people talk to you all over the hills - though not in so great numbers as you found on the way back down.

[HighlandSC]

Well done David Nice report as well

I'm sure it'll be the first of many! I've just done my 2nd today and can't wait to hit the hills again.

[mountain coward]

Good report and pics - especially like the craggy summit one and the rainbow! I hate it when I speak to people and they pointedly ignore me - it's so rude! We were busy getting soaked (despite waterproofs - only took my old ones) on Penyghent in the Dales today and there were lots of young folks from the campsite up there in the torrential rain in jeans and hoodies - not even any kind of waterproofs! They looked pretty miserable I have to say!

[David.Ferguson]

Hi MC

Yip,it worries me when i see folks heading up in gear that is clearly not what you need.I hate being cold at all,wet
does not bother me as long as i am not cold.If the folks i saw actually made it to the top they had approx a 2hour walk
to get down,not nice in the clothes they were wearing.

The rainbow pic would have been a fuller rainbow shot if i could have got my camera out quicker,the clouds were scudding across at about 50mph.

Cheers

David.

[mountain coward]

Well it's one way for them to learn what clothing would be appropriate on a mountain!

[HighlandSC]

There was a guy up Ben Macdui yesterday in those retro style VERY SHORT shorts! BUT...has was last seen climbing up a wall in the northern corries so he must have known what he was doing!/thought he looked cool/feels no cold!!

[sloosh]

Congrats! Nice report and I like the pics.

On the way down met many folks on there way up,one group were heading up with "Harry" who was completing his last Munro,what an achievment.

I think I met some of that group nursing some hangovers on Ben More on Sunday. They said they had been celebrating someone's final munro and I'm pretty sure they said it was on Ben Lomond the day before.

[David.Ferguson]

Hi Sloosh

They did mention that they had a few "bottles" in their rucksacks for a wee celebration.
I am sure they had a great time.

David.

[Freewheelin]

Good to see another one of the Motherwell posse hittin' the hills.

... keep up at this rate an' we'll outnumber the Perth mob by 2030!

[missMHK]

Hey David - welcome! I'm a new girl on here too, I only joined on Friday. It's a great site & people are really friendly/helpful. Enjoyed your report - it never fails to amaze me what some people wear on the hills. Maybe we should start taking surreptitious photos & start a hall of shame!

Well done on your first munro. Look forward to seeing where you end up next.

[David.Ferguson]

Hi FW

Yip,at least that's me started.You have a fair few hills under your belt yourself.

Trying to get other family members interested but they just think i am mad.

David.

[David.Ferguson]

Hi missMHK


Looks like there are a fair few newbies on here.A very good site and fabulous resource.A hall of shame could be
interesting.We might end up on it. If we could see how others see us.


David.