Caught by the mist this time! - Ben Lawers
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 3:47 pmI've been lucky so far avoiding pea soup on the hills, but today my luck ran out! The forecast looked good so I opted for Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas for today but sadly the forecast was a little different to what it was last night for early on in the day.
With one dog retired from hill walking, and with no doggy sitter for today, I had to set off early to get in a hill walk and get back at a reasonable time so retired doggy isn't on her own too long, so myself and non-retired doggy (Millie) set off at 3:30am and started out walk at 5:50am. It wasn't looking too promising with the hills shrouded in cloud, but we were there so we started walking regardless! I was hoping it would clear so we took our time sauntering up. Stopped for a bite to eat, spotted what looked like a suitable sheltered spot to find some inconsiderate person had failed to pick up after their dog there, and some poor person had stood in it (not me might I add)! So I ended up sitting in the wind, thank you irresponsible, inconsiderate dog owner! Sometimes I wonder why I bother picking up my dogs poop and carrying it around with me (albeit in my Dicky Bag) when others don't show the same consideration! Especially in a sheltered spot too where people can escape from the wind.
Not surprisingly, I didn't sit for long before deciding to just go for it since we were there. The path is well-made and obvious so easy to follow though I find walking in the mist is boring and tiresome, but we kept on going seeing false summit appearing after false summit. I think I found the summit of Beinn Ghlas, but not sure. It seemed to be as high as I got before the descent into the bealach and there was a pile of stones there that didn't look like they could indicate much else! Down in the bealach we followed the path along seeing lots of sheep watching us, probably thinking we were mad wandering along in the mist to climb a mountain! I spotted the alternative descent route, which was the route I was going to take back as I was fed up of the mist and while the path is good there were some steeper bits going down that I would rather be able to navigate without Millie on the lead which isn't an option with so many sheep around. But first to get to the summit of Ben Lawers which was through the same mist with more of the mountain appearing as we climbed up until we finally spotted the unmistakable shape of a summit marker. We stopped to enjoy the view (NOT!). I did wonder if the sun was going to break through but instead the mist just seemed to get thicker so we just started our descent. Of course, partway along the descent trail the sun started breaking through and the cloud started to lift though when I last looked the summit still held onto a crown of cloud. The descent trail was nice and simple and we were soon back on the original track heading down through the fenced-in bit and back to the car getting back for 11:00am. Not bad going, though possibly an indication of how much extra time that I spend taking photos as normally I'm towards the other end of the estimated time given by WH! I suspect when I try this again if I get clear weather it will take a bit longer!
Of course, I still managed to get some photos!
There is a summit there somewhere...
Something tells me I may have picked the wrong munros for today...
Pretty flowers
Don't know where this came from but it was a complete circle drifting up, had already started breaking apart when I got the camera to focus on it though!
Being watched...
FINALLY!
Oh look sunlight...
Nice views once the cloud lifted!
Mountain ringlet
This was the look I got off Millie at what I'm guessing was the summit of Beinn Ghlas...I think it says it all really!
And just a nice pose from Millie
With one dog retired from hill walking, and with no doggy sitter for today, I had to set off early to get in a hill walk and get back at a reasonable time so retired doggy isn't on her own too long, so myself and non-retired doggy (Millie) set off at 3:30am and started out walk at 5:50am. It wasn't looking too promising with the hills shrouded in cloud, but we were there so we started walking regardless! I was hoping it would clear so we took our time sauntering up. Stopped for a bite to eat, spotted what looked like a suitable sheltered spot to find some inconsiderate person had failed to pick up after their dog there, and some poor person had stood in it (not me might I add)! So I ended up sitting in the wind, thank you irresponsible, inconsiderate dog owner! Sometimes I wonder why I bother picking up my dogs poop and carrying it around with me (albeit in my Dicky Bag) when others don't show the same consideration! Especially in a sheltered spot too where people can escape from the wind.
Not surprisingly, I didn't sit for long before deciding to just go for it since we were there. The path is well-made and obvious so easy to follow though I find walking in the mist is boring and tiresome, but we kept on going seeing false summit appearing after false summit. I think I found the summit of Beinn Ghlas, but not sure. It seemed to be as high as I got before the descent into the bealach and there was a pile of stones there that didn't look like they could indicate much else! Down in the bealach we followed the path along seeing lots of sheep watching us, probably thinking we were mad wandering along in the mist to climb a mountain! I spotted the alternative descent route, which was the route I was going to take back as I was fed up of the mist and while the path is good there were some steeper bits going down that I would rather be able to navigate without Millie on the lead which isn't an option with so many sheep around. But first to get to the summit of Ben Lawers which was through the same mist with more of the mountain appearing as we climbed up until we finally spotted the unmistakable shape of a summit marker. We stopped to enjoy the view (NOT!). I did wonder if the sun was going to break through but instead the mist just seemed to get thicker so we just started our descent. Of course, partway along the descent trail the sun started breaking through and the cloud started to lift though when I last looked the summit still held onto a crown of cloud. The descent trail was nice and simple and we were soon back on the original track heading down through the fenced-in bit and back to the car getting back for 11:00am. Not bad going, though possibly an indication of how much extra time that I spend taking photos as normally I'm towards the other end of the estimated time given by WH! I suspect when I try this again if I get clear weather it will take a bit longer!
Of course, I still managed to get some photos!
There is a summit there somewhere...
Something tells me I may have picked the wrong munros for today...
Pretty flowers
Don't know where this came from but it was a complete circle drifting up, had already started breaking apart when I got the camera to focus on it though!
Being watched...
FINALLY!
Oh look sunlight...
Nice views once the cloud lifted!
Mountain ringlet
This was the look I got off Millie at what I'm guessing was the summit of Beinn Ghlas...I think it says it all really!
And just a nice pose from Millie
nice walk there 
