walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Wintry Weekend in Arrochar

Wintry Weekend in Arrochar


Postby basscadet » Thu Jan 22, 2015 7:40 pm

Route description: Ben Vorlich via Loch Sloy

Munros included on this walk: Ben Vorlich (Loch Lomond)

Date walked: 17/01/2015

Time taken: 6.5 hours

Distance: 14.7 km

Ascent: 965m

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

So last weekend, we left from work, Arrochar in our sights to finish off Dougie's alp bagging. :)
We arrived at Inveruglas at about 8, and after some faffing set off up the road. As we climbed gradually up the glen, the conditions changed from cold still and crisp, with a myriad of stars, to wet, windy, dark and sludgy. We had aimed to camp at the dam, but an opportunity a couple of miles up the road was too tempting to pass by :D We cleared the couple of inches of snow, and pitched up. It was good to get cosy inside despite only a very short walk :lol:


18-JAN-15.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



After a very comfortable night, and a really good sleep, I awoke and sat up to find my forehead meeting with much coldness – so much snow had fallen overnight, that the tent was actually sagging :o
It was later than intended, and as we had our morning tea, the first of the day trippers passed – probably better to let someone else break trail anyway :D

Image

So we set off into the mist, finding that we had got further up the track than we had thought and it was only a couple of hundred yards to where the footprints broke up the hill.
The going was quite steep, so we took it steady, stopping to shake tired legs more and more often...

Image

The hill was quite busy now, with an increasing number of wee groups adding to the convoy. Nice friendly folks :) We made it up above the cloud, and saw bonny views across the glen.

Image

Image

Image

The footsteps didn't go in the direction I would of gone, but they took us up to the ridge, where a chill breeze had us reaching in our packs for more insulation. There was a wee flat section that was a bit slippy and others were putting on their crampons, but with so much new snow, we hadn't bothered with ours. It worked out well though, as that bit just lasted a few metres, then it was back to plodding through the powder :)

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

The spindrift caught in my hair and turned it into a craze of icicles that jangled when I shook my head :lol: never had that before!
It Seemed way longer than I remembered to the top, although it was a real treat to be out in such conditions, so almost a disappointment when we got there

Image

Image

Image

Image

it was a bit busy, so we didnie hang around the summit for long. It was even more fun going back without the toil.

Image

Image

We broke off the ridge a little earlier, and enjoyed sliding down snowdrifts and faceplanting a lot. Further down, the snow had melted a bit with all that sunsine, and there were some wet muddy nastiness, which seemed a very small price to pay for such a good day :)
We got back to tent in no time at all, well before dark.
At dusk the temperature really dropped, and even sticking a hand out of the sleeping bag to make a brew was pretty tortuous. The wind soon got up though, and by 7 it was fine and we were sitting up with sleeping bags round our waists.
The wind strengthened overnight, and it was loud enough to wake me a couple of times, which is most unusual.. We decided in the morning, that the powder and wind would make for a day best spent low, so we headed back to the car and round to Arrochar for a wee wander to the caves. There was shooting going on at the clay pigeon place, but the guys were great, and let us passed with instructions on what to do on the way back.
We followed the track and then found our way onto a path that went steeply up to the caves. They weren't hard to find at all. We had a grand ol' time scrambling about on the rocks and exploring the cracks and tunnels. Its astounding to think of all the folk that must of stayed or visited over the years, lots of the rocks are well polished :) We somehow got ourselves back on a path that continued through the woods and took us back down to the clay pigeon place, so an even shorter walk back, but something I have wanted to do for ages, so home with curiosity well and truly satisfied :D
Brill weekend, cant wait for the next one.
User avatar
basscadet
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2778
Munros:84   Corbetts:52
Fionas:18   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:34   Hewitts:13
Wainwrights:17   Islands:21
Joined: Dec 1, 2011
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Wintry Weekend in Arrochar

Postby gammy leg walker » Thu Jan 22, 2015 10:00 pm

BC & Dougie tell me you went to the cairn and not the trig on this on as the cairns the summit not the trig :shock:
User avatar
gammy leg walker
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 3488
Munros:282   Corbetts:7
Fionas:4   Donalds:3+0
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:7
Joined: Jan 30, 2010
Location: Central Region
Walk wish-list

Re: Wintry Weekend in Arrochar

Postby Collaciotach » Thu Jan 22, 2015 10:03 pm

Some cráicing photies there a' caileag :D

Wondered where ya got to , Saturday was an inspirational day indeed :D
User avatar
Collaciotach
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1921
Munros:282   Corbetts:220
Fionas:53   Donalds:10
Sub 2000:27   
Islands:32
Joined: Aug 8, 2011
Location: Gàidhealtachd an Iar

Re: Wintry Weekend in Arrochar

Postby basscadet » Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:16 am

gammy leg walker wrote:BC & Dougie tell me you went to the cairn and not the trig on this on as the cairns the summit not the trig :shock:

och i did think about playing a wee trick on Dougie, :wink: but when we got to the trig, it was clear, and obvious the other top was higher :lol:

Collaciotach wrote:Some cráicing photies there a' caileag :D

Wondered where ya got to , Saturday was an inspirational day indeed :D


Aye got the car packed for heading away straight from work.. Somehow dont think this weekend will be quite so nice :lol:

Where were you yoursel?
User avatar
basscadet
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2778
Munros:84   Corbetts:52
Fionas:18   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:34   Hewitts:13
Wainwrights:17   Islands:21
Joined: Dec 1, 2011
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Wintry Weekend in Arrochar

Postby kevsbald » Sat Jan 24, 2015 3:03 pm

Nice one - 278, closing in now BC.
User avatar
kevsbald
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 2314
Munros:282   Corbetts:134
Fionas:82   Donalds:56
Sub 2000:17   Hewitts:18
Wainwrights:31   
Joined: Jan 15, 2009
Location: Bearsden

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: konstanci and 37 guests