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We had, in a bout of optimism, booked the Travelodge at Helensburgh for the English August bank holiday way back in December. As the time approached it looked increasingly like we would cop for some horrendous weather with a huge low pressure due to hit the North West of the British Isles for the weekend. In reality however the weather men (and women) were way off as the initial low passed without a whimper leaving us with two fine(ish) days to bag some Munros.
On Saturday we decided to join the rest of the world and climb Ben Lomond. The car park was busy (even though we were early) with singing children and minibusfulls of charity walkers all milling around before setting off up the pedestrian highway.
- Looking ahead to Ben Lomond and Ptarmigan
It was a beautiful morning, with a touch of freshness but barely any breeze and progress was steady as views opened up over Loch Lomond and the Arrochar Alps.
The ascent was uneventful although we felt over dressed and over prepared amongst the throngs of Jeans/tracksuit & trainers wearing walkers.
- Loch Lomond and the Arrochar Alps
- The Arrochar Alps
- Looking East
- The summit ridge from the path
- Grace and Hughie backed by Loch Lomond
- Towards the Trossacks
It turned out however that we weren’t over prepared
as the weather did what it likes to do in Scotland and change without much warning. Rain had started to encroach from the Trossachs, at first it was just a gentle mizzle but by the time we reached the summit ridge the cloud had obscured the view and it was fairly chucking it down.
- Rain incoming...
- ...but still bright on the West side of the loch
We ate our sandwiches in the rain, grimly hoping for a break in the weather and as if by magic the cloud lifted and we were granted a slightly misty version of the view to the North.
We headed down soon after with it still raining, this time getting to see some of the drama of the impressive summit ridge, hidden from us on the way up.
- A very wet summit
- Grace, Tad and Hughie at the top
- Misty summit view
- Summit ridge through a rain splattered lens
We’d have probably descended by the ptarmigan ridge if the weather had held but it was the easy trudge down a less populated tourist route for us. It certainly looked as if every body who started the climb didn’t finish it, probably learning jeans are inappropriate for hill walking in the process.
In the end Ben Lomond unfortunately felt a bit like a tick on a list, perhaps we are getting a bit snobby.
If we do climb this hill again it will definitely be via the ptarmigan ridge in-order to avoid the crowds and provide a bit more interest.