Ben Ledi

[allansmitchell]

2nd walk of the year, and now equiped with crampons and ice ax we agreed we could atempt something steeper in the snow. Left paisley at 7.30am, with traffic we didnt arrive until 9.30am to see the car park nearly full. 10 minutes gearing up with all our new x-mass goodies, gaitors, boots soft shells, gloves, buffs and hats, we looked like we were ready for an artic exploration, and it wasnt even that cold
Off we set 100m alomg the road, turned up the path and were sliping every where, Great, out with the new purchases of Grivel G10 crampons, 5 minutes later we were then trodding up the path which was all ice through the forest, the walkers that had passed us while we had attached the crampons were slogging along the drainage ditch, Glad to get a play on the crampons and seeing that we were actualy walking faster I was glad in our investment.

Forest path

Emerging from the forest we started our trek up the steep path,it was no longer ice put very compact snow and obviously difficult for the walkers in front who were going more of the path into the solid snow to get a grip

Path begins

The sun was behind cloud but there was no wind and we were starting to relise the scott of the antartic look was OTT so hats came off and jackets opened, from 300metres the views were great.

300m

Path ahead to first turn

View back down

At roughly the 500 metre mark the path then turns and heads near enough in a straight line to the summit, now feeling our calfs working after such a long break from steep hills we stood and admired the views looking out over stirling and to the west to loch lomond. Also putting on our hats again.

Stirling

view to ben lomond, cobbler

We set off again with Ben Ledi eventually comming into view

Fist glimpse of Ben Ledi

Another 200m acent and the sun finaly broke free from the clouds bathing all around in its glorious rays, a quick Picture op on a cairn at the 700m mark? then off we went to the false sumit were we see the cross for the first time

700m cairn

first glimpse of cross

At the top some fellow walkers took our picture at the trig point with our new addition to our walks, Tatty (my crimbo pressie to take on walks as I had been missing my dogs when they had both died within weeks of each other last year, too soon to replace them so enter cuddly toy) Some lunch out of the wind then we headed back down the way we had come.

At the top

Lunch

Ice path

What a great walk to blow away the cob webs and all the excess of christmas

[sloosh]

Looks like fun and you got to wear your new crampons!