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- Wrong start!
After a long time of dreaming and pondering over a lone trip into the hills and camping overnight, I decided to go for it!
I invested in a new waterproof os map (£13 which I thought was quite steep) bought a new compass and packed my rucsac with full winter gear (apart from ice axe and crampons) It felt great to rake out all my camping gear and sift through it to make sure everything was there and functional, then the car got loaded up the night before ready for departure.
I left at 7.00am, the sun was shining and the weather was looking promising, as I drove up the A9 I had all my old 1990 rave tunes blairing and I was buzzing with excitement.
By the time I arrived at Callander I was starving, so I decided to stop at the customary stopping place The main street bakers but couldnt get a parking space so decided to drive on and stop at strathyre at the wee shop and get a munch. Bad Idea stopping at strathyre, 2 microwave heated pies which cost me £1.80 each were well soggy but they filled a hole in ma belly and on I drove.
I found the red phone box at Glen Lyon and eagerly jumped out the car, gear on and off I went, but after about 10mins of walking I couldnt find a metal gate and it just didnt feel right where I was, "whit a muppet!
I had started walk at wrong phone box!
A 15 mins drive later I arrived at the correct start and off I went, through the gates and followed the path alongside the burn with waterfalls and arrived at the metal bridge. Just about a 1/4 a mile in front of me were 4 walkers, I soon caught up with them and I soon made new friends and I felt safer in numbers incase I had got lost.
At the start of the walk up until I reached the 1st summit cairn gorm I had a t shirt on as the sun was shining hot, but then the weather changed, it started to cloud over as a weather front with a cold wind and hail, so on with all my gear and onwards to bag another 3 munros.
I found the route easy to follow (same route as walkhighlands) and I really enjoyed the walk, especially the good company I had stumbled across, I do like a bit of company on a walk.
After the walk I drove towards Ben Lawers looking for a good camp spot, I decided to park the car in the new Ben Lawers car park and found a nice wee sheltered spot next to the burn, I set up camp by 8.00pm. I sat and cooked up my pasta and pesto with 2 rolls and felt great all on my own, totally chilled out, and then retired for a good night sleep. When I woke in the morning the weather had turned really bad with low clowd, high winds and consistant rain, so off I headed home tired and weather beaten but with a nice smile on my face.
