Ben Oss & Dubhchraig - boggy & foggy

[weaselmaster]

A long time ago - I think about 1996, when I was uninterested in going up hills, I was taken away with a bunch of guys from work and we did 2 hills near Tyndrum. In September 2012, when I got interested in going up things, I was sure that these must've been Oss & Dubhchraig and added them to my "tick list". Only decided to go up them "again" today because I was with Allison for her first walk in a couple months and she'd not done them. Wanted to go somewhere fairly close to home today too, as had a birthday party to get to in the evening. So got ready without much excitement, knowing that 1- I wasn't going to add to my number of hills and 2- we were unlikely to get much of a view. However, a walk's a walk and there's always something good to come out of them. On this occasion the good thing was the realisation that no way had I done these two before and it must've been Lui and A'Chleibh that was walked all these years ago - I distinctly remember the hills being linked by a saddle. So it was just as well I went along!

Got up to Dalrigh about 9 and found several other walkers arriving at the same time.


Bridge from the car park - ?Beinn Chuirn by 23weasels, on Flickr


P1000682 by 23weasels, on Flickr


P1000683 by 23weasels, on Flickr
Weather was cloudy along the tops of the hills north of Crianlarich but I had a little optimism that it might lift (oops - wrong!). Followed the WH path over the decrepit bridge (dog took a bit of persuasion and a firm hand on the collar to go over that!) and into the trees.

Do I have to go over this?? by 23weasels, on Flickr


The ground wasn't frozen, so the bogs were lying in wait - only went up to my knees once There was virtually no wind and it got warm walking through the trees,

P1000686 by 23weasels, on Flickr

and this continued when we finally emerged onto the moor, following Allt Coire Dubhchraig with some pretty waterfalls and the inevitable patches of bog.


P1000690 by 23weasels, on Flickr


Snowline starting at about 750m by 23weasels, on Flickr


Looking over to the Glen Orchy hills by 23weasels, on Flickr

Through the hole in the fence with the white poly bag tied as a marker and up the hillside, following another couple of walkers a few hundred yards ahead. Started to get some snow at about 750m which meant there was a nice trail of steps to follow when the clag level was reached - no view today


View disappears into clag by 23weasels, on Flickr


P1000692 by 23weasels, on Flickr

The going got a little steeper, and poor Allison was feeling the lack of walking in the last 2 months. Reached the wee cairn signing the left turn up to Dubhchraig and met a couple of lads coming down, one of whom I'd met on Beinn a'Chochuill and who recognised the day-glo dog.

P1000694 by 23weasels, on Flickr
Soon got along to the cairn - the temperature had dropped significantly in the last 100m elevation and we stopped to put another layer on as well as snap a summit shot. By this time several other walkers had reached the top - felt positively busy today after all the recent hills with no-one else around.


Summit - Dubhchraig by 23weasels, on Flickr

Decided to press on towards Ben Oss before stopping for some food - it was about 11.30 now and there was still a long way to go. Had to take care to go in the right direction towards Oss in the mist - spotted the wee lochans to our right, so knew we were thereabouts. Headed round the side of the hill and a steep descent to Bealach Buidhe, losing rather more height than we would have liked!

P1000702 by 23weasels, on Flickr
Loch Oss looked leaden down below to our L.
Edge of Loch Oss heading to Ben Oss by 23weasels, on Flickr




After the bealach there was another quite steep bit up towards Oss - I went off at a fair pace, leaving Allison to follow - the trail was easy enough to see with all the footprints, but the clag had reduced visibility considerably. I sat on a flat rock on the 941 plateau and waited for what seemed like ages for her to catch up - started to get a little worried when she didn't appear and although I walked over to the edge of the rise I couldn't see hide nor hair of her - realised it wasn't such a smart idea to blaze away off in the fog, even when there was an easy track to follow. Began to wonder if she'd taken another path and gone round behind me and thought of going on to the summit in case she was there, but that didn't seem sensible either. However, at that point she pulled into view and with much relief we decided to have some food and a coffee to recharge.

The final section from the 941 plateau to the 1029 top was interrupted with another small saddle with a further descent of almost 100m which wasn't a delightful surprise There was a patch of snow going up the final slope and this combined with the mist to make everything white and silent.

Allison delighted to have made it! by 23weasels, on Flickr


Summit Oss by 23weasels, on Flickr
By this time it really was getting late having taken almost 5 hours to get here, and I was worried we were going to run out of daylight as we had 8.5km to get back to the car.

Bealach Buidhe by 23weasels, on Flickr
Care was needed getting down the steeper sections of Ben Oss and up to the NW aspect of Dubhchraig.


Heading back up from Bealach Buidhe by 23weasels, on Flickr

View towards Coire Buidhe by 23weasels, on Flickr

Once we were heading down Dubhchraig there were a couple of smooth snowy patcxhes which made for a nice slide down!


Glissading fun! by 23weasels, on Flickr

Walking was easier on the reverse direction and we made good time, with good views over to the hills in the North.

Looking North to Challum etc by 23weasels, on Flickr
Saw the couple before us taking the alt route back to the car which involved fording Allt Gleann Auchreoch about 300m south of the rickety bridge, but we elected to brave the missing planks again, although the dog was not particularly pleased

Not again!! by 23weasels, on Flickr
The other route seemed quicker as they made the car park well in advance of us. Anyway, 2.5 hours on the return leg and there was still light when we made the car park . Pleasant drive back down Loch Lomond in the dusk and got home just in time to go out again to a party - without even the time to get changed!

[Johnny Corbett]

You've been pretty busy on the hills of late and some good reports. The old dogs doing good as well.

[Fudgie]

We almost opted for them yesterday but Meall nan Tarmachan and a longer lie was the more attractive option Good effort on getting round those two.

[PeteR]

Bitter sweet hills for me these two for very personal reasons, especially Dubhcraig. I always enjoy reading reports on them though, particuarly in winter.

Despite the clag it still looks like you had a good day out on them Even with the bog I think they'll always be hills I'll look to go back to

[paddy_da_mighty_atom]

Nice walk report,Well done on managing the 2, ive set out twice and failed dubhchraig twice 5 minutes from the summit in whiteout, windy blizzard conditions, if i didnt have the pooch with me i would have pressed on at least to the summit of dubhchraig and returned but was feeling sorry for him and bailed lol
Will need to leave those 2 for a better day, no way im failing them again hahahha

[weaselmaster]

You've been pretty busy on the hills of late and some good reports. The old dogs doing good as well.

Yeah, has been great getting out and about - can't think of anything I'd rather be doing at the weekends (or during the week either come to that, but work kinda gets in the way ). Dog loves it but unfortunately takes some collateral damage in his paw which was injured years ago and tends to break down if he does too much - but then he hates being left at home so sometimes I take him when he should probably be rested. Having a sulking collie to return to is never nice

Hoping the forecast cold weather isn't going to put a damper on being able to continue over the coming weeks (mostly driving to places on bad roads).

[weaselmaster]

Despite the clag it still looks like you had a good day out on them Even with the bog I think they'll always be hills I'll look to go back to

Ach I think that it's best to expect clag every time and if you get a clear day it's a nice surprise. If i sat at home waiting for no clag days to go, I'd be very frustrated. Plus it gives me the incentive to do the ones I've had no view from again on clear sunny days (if we ever get any of them). I quite like aspects of the thick clag - really the sense of solitude and remoteness that the reduced visibility and sound brings with it, and it would be pretty dull if you got a great view of the surrounding hills every time (well, maybe I'd learn to live with that type of dull )

[DJAM]

Hi

I was one of the people you met at the top. I was with my Uncle and we chatted for a while. On the way up, about 10 minutes after crossing the bridge, we crossed the burn to avoid the boggy path. We then rejoined the main path further up. Having experienced the "boggy path" on the way down I think we made a good route choice. Great pictures. Third time I have been up these hills and I dont think I have ever seen a blue sky.4th time lucky perhaps.

Derek

[pigeon]

Oof!Twice i've encountered those bogs and that bridge,me no like.Well done weaselmaster,good report

[skuk007]

Nice report with some atmospheric photos too.

I remember going down from Oss on my way to Dubhchraig thinking it was a really steep slog and glad I wasn't trying to get up it. And you did it in the snow...

[weaselmaster]

Nice report with some atmospheric photos too.

I remember going down from Oss on my way to Dubhchraig thinking it was a really steep slog and glad I wasn't trying to get up it. And you did it in the snow...

There wasn't much snow, to be honest!!