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Participants: Isabel and Joe
Weather: Sunny periods, clouding over then brightening again, little wind till well up on Beinn Dubhchraig
Route: along forest track, then worn path all way to the top
Wildlife: Heron at River Cononish.
Special Interest: One very dodgy bridge over the river.
Parked car in substantial car park at Dalrigh. Walked down road to bridge over Cononish and the right turn onto forest track along side railway to bridge over the railway. Immediately turned right down a worn path and the first of many boggy areas to traverse to the river side and eventually first real challenge of the day, one dodgy bridge. Not only does it move under your weight but there are spars missing and some spars look well past their sell by date.
- The dodgy bridge, mind the gap! (and the rotten planks and shoogles as you cross)
Once over, we had a coffee and tunnocks as a reward for making it across. Left turn now and the start of the climb up to the hill following the Allt Coire Dubhchraig almost to the top. Beside the river its very wet, but walkable, deep bracken in parts. Scots pine forest with fine views of the hill.
- The path through the Scots Pine forest, the hill in the background
It gets steeper to climb out of the forest, past a nice double waterfall. Path still wet and boggy though. Go through a fence and out into a more open slope, but just as wet. Reach another waterfall with an associated gorge. Stopped here for lunch with views all round.
- Through the fence leaving the forest behind.
- The path up to the waterfall above the gorge
- Best view of the biggest part of waterfall
- The river route to the top
The path continues to follows the river and many more waterfalls passed. Eventually reach the bottom of the hill itself and the path zig zags up the steep slope out of the corrie. Eventually got to the ridge with the lochans to right and Ben Oss visible. Keeping left head up to the visible top, which of course hides the true top a bit further back. Just made it in time before the cloud came down and shut off any further sight seeing.
- From the top, looking all the way back to the start.
- Ben Oss with its loch
- Just off the top, looking down the northern part of Loch Lomond.
So we dropped back down out of the wind and then returned back the same route. The only difference being we kept to the higher ground north of the river to avoid the bracken and it was less boggy that way too. Midges were out in force as we came down just to keep us moving along. It then became a fine evening with the sun back out as we got back over the dodgy shoogly bridge.
- Evening sun shines on hill, just before car park.
When we got back to the car, it was after 7:30pm, so only one thing left to do, drive to real food cafe for fish and chips and a drink before heading home. Perfect.
