Best Saturday in yonks!
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:00 pmWell, this day put some real pressure on my knees!
Weather reports checked the night before, rucksack loaded with juice, Jungle Gel, waterproofs, and extra sandwiches. I'd had to make a call between a long drive and a single peak, or a shorter drive and a full day on the slopes; the call was quite easy in the end!
Set off up through the nature trail and where most of the other climbers on this busy and sunny Saturday morning made straight for Beinn Glas I paused for a moment and headed for the traversing path up to the bealach between Beinn Glas and Meall Corrainach, with thoughts of finding a way up(I've always been an optimist!) the westerly ridge before going back to Ben Lawers.
As I reached the foot of the Meall it became apparent that footpaths would be thin, not tourist tracks but single file, used more by sheep than men kind of things, and I was not disappointed. Being a bit of a novice let's just say my heart rate was kept up by both the gradient, and the sheer drops near the path!
Made it up, then strolled to Choire Leith, almost traversed the ridge by one of it's many sheep paths back to the bealach, but then braved the steep path once more, and it seemed much easier going downhill!
Then came Ben Lawers, very busy on this day, lots of friendly walkers and climbers of all ages and skill groups, some willing to stop and chat, some not, but all willing to say hello. The final section of this ascent is saddeningly beginning to show real signs of wear and tear, but the views from the peak show why. I sat for almost half an hour just drinking it in, until a raincloud came scooting in from the west and I took my cue to head for Beinn Glas as my final peak of the day.
When the rain hit it really whalloped, and quite a few of the climbers I'd passed had had nothing more than shorts, a t-shirt, and a "fanny pack" on, good luck to 'em but I'd rather be dry with an extra pound or two of weight to carry.
No point pausing on Beinn Glas, cloud closed in and the rain hammered down, but I drew an immense sense of satisfaction from completing four summits in one day, with "barely" an insect bite to show for it, in spite of the Jungle Gel!
Weather reports checked the night before, rucksack loaded with juice, Jungle Gel, waterproofs, and extra sandwiches. I'd had to make a call between a long drive and a single peak, or a shorter drive and a full day on the slopes; the call was quite easy in the end!
Set off up through the nature trail and where most of the other climbers on this busy and sunny Saturday morning made straight for Beinn Glas I paused for a moment and headed for the traversing path up to the bealach between Beinn Glas and Meall Corrainach, with thoughts of finding a way up(I've always been an optimist!) the westerly ridge before going back to Ben Lawers.
As I reached the foot of the Meall it became apparent that footpaths would be thin, not tourist tracks but single file, used more by sheep than men kind of things, and I was not disappointed. Being a bit of a novice let's just say my heart rate was kept up by both the gradient, and the sheer drops near the path!
Made it up, then strolled to Choire Leith, almost traversed the ridge by one of it's many sheep paths back to the bealach, but then braved the steep path once more, and it seemed much easier going downhill!
Then came Ben Lawers, very busy on this day, lots of friendly walkers and climbers of all ages and skill groups, some willing to stop and chat, some not, but all willing to say hello. The final section of this ascent is saddeningly beginning to show real signs of wear and tear, but the views from the peak show why. I sat for almost half an hour just drinking it in, until a raincloud came scooting in from the west and I took my cue to head for Beinn Glas as my final peak of the day.
When the rain hit it really whalloped, and quite a few of the climbers I'd passed had had nothing more than shorts, a t-shirt, and a "fanny pack" on, good luck to 'em but I'd rather be dry with an extra pound or two of weight to carry.
No point pausing on Beinn Glas, cloud closed in and the rain hammered down, but I drew an immense sense of satisfaction from completing four summits in one day, with "barely" an insect bite to show for it, in spite of the Jungle Gel!
! I did Ben Lawers / Beinn Glas / Meall Corranaich last year, and they made a nice group of three, but I didn't go on to Meall a' Choire Leith - wish I had now, as I'll now have to go back and do it on its own sometime (maybe with its wee Corbett pal, Meall nan Maigheach I think it is). A lot to be said for ticking off the four in one go like this 
!