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Ben Challum first of 2013

Ben Challum first of 2013


Postby mr_mrsH » Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:08 pm

Route description: Ben Challum, near Tyndrum

Munros included on this walk: Ben Challum

Date walked: 02/02/2013

Time taken: 6 hours

Distance: 12 km

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Itchy feet itchy feet we were both getting itchy feet and were needing to get back out on the hills, our last trip Sgor Gaoith was at the beginning of December, haven't been able to get out over the past couple weeks due to the weather and other commitments but when the forecast on wednesday was for a fine day on Saturday we kept checking to see if it would change, but for once it didn't. :)

Friday night was a works night out for me, cut short home by 8, nothing was getting in the way of this trip.
MrsH was getting over the flu bug that's been going around but was up for it.

Saturday morning up at 6.45 and on the road for 7.45. roads up to Crianlarich were quiet, only problem was finding the correct lay-by, missed the sign for kirkton farm, very small, the lay-by is nearly opposite the sign for the farm shop. Finally set off at 10.15 back to the farm track and to the bridge.
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frosty bridge


After the bridge we followed the track to the farm and cut off the track to head for the level crossing, after crossing we headed uphill for the deer fence of to the right, this fence was followed nearly all the way.
A couple of stiles were crossed as we headed up.
we could tell that this could be quite a boggy section but because of the low temperatures of late they were frozen solid ,great. :)
because MrsH was still recovering from the flu bug she had to stop every now and then when attacked by a coughing fit. This gave me a chance to take some photos of the surrounding hills.
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From now on it was just a case of following the fence, at this point we were just coming up to the snow line at about 600m.
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follow the fence

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follow the fence, first view of summit?

Eventually came on to a plateau and had what we thought was our first sight of the summit, but as is usually the case this was just the south summit. we left the fence briefly a little further up following footprints in the snow of previous walkers, 7 passed us on their way down, we were the last ones.
Came upon the fence again and had to climb over. traversed down to a break in the fence.
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break in fence

Now the views were really beginning to open up and some time was spent taking photos as MrsH had another coughing fit.
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views

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arty shot

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icy post

At this point we decided to put on our crampons, for the first time, bought them last year after our An Caisteal adventure and never had a chance to use them.
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crampons on

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arty shot no.2 with Ben more and Stob Binnein

By this time we were on the south summit and had our first view of the true summit, checking the time we reckoned to be at the summit after 3.5 hrs. just a short trek along the ridge down a dip and up to the summit. It's at this point we met the first of the descenders.
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MrsH going along ridge summit in the background
#
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summit shot

Stopped for a bite to eat on the summit, not for long, surprising how cold it can get when you're not moving.
headed back down now with one hand in a pocket at a time to warm them up.
saw a couple in front sliding down certain parts of the descend and we thought we'd give that a go.
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mrsH sliding

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me sliding

Our sliding wasn't very successful couln't get up enough speed, it wasn;t until further down that I found another section that looked good for sliding and thought i'd give it a go, i went sliding ok the only problem was that i couldn't stop a went a' over t' at the bottom, no photos of that but MrsH had a good laugh at my misfortune. :lol:
finally got down to the car and set of for home, another good day on the hills cold but well worth it.
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mr_mrsH
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Re: Ben Challum first of 2013

Postby The Rodmiester » Wed Feb 06, 2013 9:46 pm

Yep, great to be hitting the hills again. You had some fine weather for your first outing of the year. Some great photographs, and you can bet that's cleared Mrs H's, flu bug out of the system :lol:
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The Rodmiester
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Re: Ben Challum first of 2013

Postby Silverhill » Wed Feb 06, 2013 11:27 pm

Looks and sounds like a fun day out! This one is waiting for me in the summer, I'm already looking forward to the bog 'n squelch :crazy:
PS. I didn't know that Ninjas enjoy munro bagging :wink:
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