The Cobbler

[Swany]

This was my first big hill in a long while, so was expecting a tough test! After the usual stressful week at work was over I was desperate for a bit of wilderness. Got up at the obscene (for a saturday) hour of 7am and wolfed down my porridge. Headed for Buchanan Bus station and an hour later I was in misty Arrochar. Belted up the zig zags and was soon out of the forest with The Cobbler in front of me. Had my first wee rest at the ford, half a banana and a slug of irn bru.

Made the bealach after about an hour and a half and debated whether to go up Beinn Ime or Beinn Narnain on the way back. But then it was the steps, the dreaded steps. Actually they were ok and I was up at the top 2 hours after setting off. It was heaving at the top with many folk doing going up the tower. I watched a few and then, tuna sandwiches eaten launched myself through the needle and scrambled up to the top. It's pretty easy, if you don't look down! In fact coming down is a bit harder. It was a lovely day up there, and the visibility was pretty good, with some low level mist accentuating the peaks. Pics to follow once i can post them not upside down or rotated!

I wandered down to the bealach and then took the steep route down. Bone jarring. Once I got on the path it was ok, and walked along pretty quickly. The zigzags were pretty tiresome and my feet were giving me jip. Cheap socks are a bad idea. I started to jog to get it over more quickly and shambled down like some sort of drunken bear. 

Got down at 3pm and found out that the next bus back to Glasgow wasn't til six. That teaches me to not read timetables properly. Three hours wait in Arrochar when all I wanted was a bath! Ach it was ok, all in all a great day out in the hills, I love this country- one hour from Glasgow, and it feels a million miles away!