Second time lucky
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 2:37 pmFirst attempt at this pointy peaked beauty on 3rd Jan 2013. Despite a gentle but biting cold breeze blowing on the lower ascent path it turned into a force-nasty just at the base of the final steep ascent. So nasty in fact that we struggled to stay upright. The windward side was impossible and the lea side was a mass of sheet ice-also impossible without crampons and picks, so like the other hardy souls up there we turned and headed back.
Contrast the above with a windless boiling hot July day on the back end of a two to three week long heatwave and the primary complaint from Team Railton was "It's too hot". Just fabulous though and an incentive to stride out to the broad plateau where hopefully the breeze might be felt more noticeably.
At this point we had a half-hearted attempt to locate my camera lens cap which was snatched out of my hand in the January winds. Not surprisingly we didn't find it and so we jauntily strode onto the final steep ascent, passing the point where we'd given up last time. Felt rather pleased to discover that the summit was considerably further on than we had imagined (and this took the sting out of our previous bailing).
With "the end" in sight, Sam got a "Mo Farrah" sprint on and reached the rocky summit way before the rest of us. The summit was a much welcome sight and the views were predictably grand. Plenty of rocky seats for a well-deserved lunch.
David was struggling a bit with painful plantar fascitiis and so we looked at the Barns rather than walk down to them.
The return was a different ball game with some very heavy and prolonged showers. Given the heat from earlier, the showers were welcome indeed and the sun was out again by the time the Ryovan Bothy had come into view.
Another satisfying walk and we were pleased with our time given that David was suffering with his feet.
Walked by Sarah (40), David(40), Alice (29) and Sam(22)
Contrast the above with a windless boiling hot July day on the back end of a two to three week long heatwave and the primary complaint from Team Railton was "It's too hot". Just fabulous though and an incentive to stride out to the broad plateau where hopefully the breeze might be felt more noticeably.
- Hubs and daughter take a break in the sweltering heat with Meall a' Bhuachaille in the background
At this point we had a half-hearted attempt to locate my camera lens cap which was snatched out of my hand in the January winds. Not surprisingly we didn't find it and so we jauntily strode onto the final steep ascent, passing the point where we'd given up last time. Felt rather pleased to discover that the summit was considerably further on than we had imagined (and this took the sting out of our previous bailing).
With "the end" in sight, Sam got a "Mo Farrah" sprint on and reached the rocky summit way before the rest of us. The summit was a much welcome sight and the views were predictably grand. Plenty of rocky seats for a well-deserved lunch.
- Second time lucky!!!! Mum and kids on Bynack More summit
- The boys at the summit cairn.
David was struggling a bit with painful plantar fascitiis and so we looked at the Barns rather than walk down to them.
The return was a different ball game with some very heavy and prolonged showers. Given the heat from earlier, the showers were welcome indeed and the sun was out again by the time the Ryovan Bothy had come into view.
Another satisfying walk and we were pleased with our time given that David was suffering with his feet.
Walked by Sarah (40), David(40), Alice (29) and Sam(22)