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I selected Ben Vorlich for my second ascent because it's within an hour's drive of my house, so wouldn'tt be hard to get back from, and looked "fairly" straightforward.
Having checked out some of the other climbers' reports and being alerted to the rules regards access via Ardvorlich House I was straight on the right path, and once on it the climb pretty much "ran on rails".
The weather was brilliant, as I type this the back of my neck is still burning from the sun - my learning points this time round were to make sure my pack contains suncream, and Jungle Gel(!). I'd packed nearly everything I needed this time, truth be told I bought a larger capacity rucksack after Schiehallion, and spent some time thinking about what should go in the bag and what should be left in a bag back at the car for my return. This meant I had plenty to drink, a change from a technical tee to a warmer fleece for the descent, room for a change of socks, etc, all major benefits to a newbie!
This was a far tougher climb than Schiehallion, steeper in sections, but also easier to navigate as the track leads all the way to the summit! Also, no cloud when I arrived at the top was a definite plus, although it did sneak in as I was finishing my lunch and getting ready to descend.
So, second climb, first with little or no cloud, and how spectacular was the view? Awesome! The views down into Glen Artney, and across to the Ben Lawers Range, were absolutely worth the effort alone, and that's before the remaining panorama! I may use this as a justification for buying a better camera!
I will admit to a hint of nerves at one point as I began to realise how far up I was, and how narrow the track was in some sections, but I hope/think this is likely to be the equivalent of getting my sea legs; a few more summits in clear weather and it won't bother me at all.
Stuc a Chroin will have to wait, I knew when I saw it that I didn't have either the energy or the experience to push on today, so I'll have to come back for a second bash as I get fitter and more "seasoned".
Tomorrow's a rest day - left knee was griping badly by the time I returned to the car - but if the weather holds I'm aiming for Ben Chonzie or Ben Lawers on Saturday, the weatherman's making all the right noises right now!
