free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Great forecast for the weekend - family stuff on the Saturday but free on the Sunday and my better half was off to play golf. Earlyish start from Glasgow - parked in the wee layby just past the bridge after Caolasnacon on the south side of Loch Leven. There was a car already in the layby before the bridge. Short walk back towards the bridge then took the track which heads SE up the hillside.
Most of the boggy section had frozen over so just had to avoid slipping.
Pap
Euphemism for unrelentingly steep is....gain ground quickly. Hardly a breath of wind and getting warmer as the sun was starting to rise.
Towards Stob Ban
Zoomed
Up over Torran nan Crann then on to Stob Coire Sgoilte. Garb Bheinn looming ahead.
Picked up a track here and there with some old footprints as an aid. Not a lot of snow higher up but very steep in places - decided on crampons and ice axe before it got too steep and slippery.
Pap and Loch Leven
Onwards and upwards
Ben Nevis, arête and CMD
Shadow
Up to the top past a cairn then along the top to see over to Blackwater Reservoir
Loch Eilde Mòr
Ben Nevis zoomed
Beinn á Bheithir
Selfie
Pano
Loch Eilde Mòr on different setting
Down to the village
Mamores
Schiehallion
Part of AE ridge
Set off back down taking a few photos on the way
CMD arête
Walkers on AE ridge
Met a couple of walkers on their way up. Had a long chat about hills and trains then wished them a good day and continued on.
Back at the car just before midday - too nice a day to head home so had some lunch and drove over the bridge and round to just past Callert House - parked in the wee layby behind another car.
Walked back to the start of the right of way then up through the trees
A bit hazy in the distance but could see over towards Glencoe. Think this is An t-Sron / Stob Coire nam Beith
Zoomed - can just see some walkers on the left before the final steep section
Garbh Bheinn
Just past the end of the trees, started more directly NE up the hillside. Became a lot steeper with snow soft and deep in places - made the going a lot harder.
Kinlochleven
Summit trig
Memorial plaque
More photos
Schiehallion again
Along the ridge
Another selfie
Glencoe
There was a little wind now but still not really cold - started to head back down
Tom Meadhoin didn’t look to far away with relatively little ascent required. Would probably have had time to get to it then get back down to the car but looked as though much of the way would be in soft snow which didn’t really appeal. Decided against it and headed back down to the car - a couple of days later the legs are feeling the effect of the ascent, must do some more stretching....
