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Well this was the first Scottish hill of 2016, some gentle foreplay on the way up to the WH meet at Gairloch, a gentle "plod" to ready me for the bootcamp that was to come the next day with londonwalker... Also happened to be the 50th Munro, including the 6 I've carried forward from student days (there are more from those days, but I can't be exact on where and when).
This report is much delayed in the production as rather more serious family matters have intervened.
No need to bore you with another description of the route .... walk in on some road to the dam .... blah blah ... watch out for little cairn on the right ... blah blah ... steep climb up muddy path ... etc, you get my drift. It's a tough gnarly hill and get's it's money's worth from anyone who tops out.
But 50 for me is a landmark, so it deserves a few photos and a few choice thoughts on what I've learnt in the last two and a bit years of travelling up to Scotland for these wonderful hills, along with some pictures of my day. (At my age I'm allowed to ramble incoherently.)
Lesson 1: Slioch Nov 2013 - There's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.
My first Munro of the modern era - clag and rain all day, loved it but realised an old ski jacket is not waterproof in any way ...
Loch Sloy dam showing it can do retro ...
Lesson 2: Ben Challum March 2014 - You meet all sorts on the hill, and your liver may pay the price....
70mph gusts, rain/hail/snow meant I was the only one daft enough to go on to the main summit - or so I thought until a shadowy figure loomed out of the clag on the final slope as I descended. Turned out to be londonwalker, who kept in touch and introduced me to some very bad (i.e. very good!) people. Gave me the confidence to attend my first WH meet and not get totally laughed at. Have since walked and drunk far too much whisky together, and he even got me across Liathach with a hangover and only one minor tumble....
Ben Vane and Loch Sloy:
Lesson 3: Bens Narnain & Ime May2014 - Occasionally you get a view from the top.
This was a revelation to me, clag free summits! I was so excited it was pathetic. Normal service was resumed on Beinn Dorain the next day, from where I suspect the views are fairly awesome ...
First decent views down Loch Lomond (there wouldn't be any from the top!):
Lesson 4: Fisherfields & Black Mount Summer 2014 - Wild Camping is amazing, but watch the catering....
Solo trips and camping high both times. Looking at the view while the sun goes down, supping a cheeky little something from the hip flask (Laphraoig if you must know). Perfect silence apart from the gastrointestinal complaints over the dehydrated meal trying to poison me. I must do more this year (wild camping, not dehydrated "meals").
My only view of Ben Lomond from up the hill:
Lesson 5: Ben Vane Nov 2014 - Keep your eyes open, as you never know when you're going to see a Golden Eagle.
On a beautiful crisp November morning, just along the Loch Sloy road this magnificent flying beast took off from a tree 200 yards in front of me, lumbering slowly into the air like a jumbo jet. Unmistakable, never thought I'd see one that far South.
The trig point (NOT the summit ...) in olden times ...
Lesson 6: Fionn Bheinn June 2015. Beware it when they say a hill is dull ...
A quick leg stretcher on the way to Torridon to meet londonwalker for a couple more days of liver failure. Blessed with good weather the views from the top were simply stunning. From Torridonians, through Fisherfields, AT, to the other Fannaichs, the greatest hits of the north west laid out in front. Let's hear it for dull hills!
The summit, reassuringly claggy, just to prove I remembered to go on the extra 200m from the trig point:
Lesson 7: Cruach Ardrain Aug 2015 - Don't lock your car keys in the car .... Scotland's a long way from Yorkshire...
...which is where I had to drive in a car borrowed from the very helpful folk at Lix Toll, to pick up my spares, drive back to Crianlarich, and then back to Yorkshire ... nearly 800 miles in one day - blearrgh!
A'Chrois, Ben Narnain and Ben Vane (and inevitably I slipped in the mud on the way down - londonwalker says I'm the least graceful walker he's ever been on a hill with):
Lesson 8: Ben Damh Nov 2015 (Torridon WH Meet) - It doesn't have to be a Munro.
Sadly I'd drunk some medicinal whisky from a glass that must have been a bit dirty as I woke not feeling too good. PeteR was going up Beinn Damh and he kindly allowed me to tag along. What a hill and what a day. About 40 feet shy of being a Munro, (but it starts from sea level - go figure?), it's a magnificent hill, complete with Brocken spectres, fog bows, and Golden Eagles. Another stunning day (I've now got books for Corbetts, Grahams and Donalds - but not the Brians yet).
Ben Lomond from the Loch Sloy road, on the return:
So that's just a taste of the things I've learnt. What's been most important for me is the anticipation of making the long trip up North, the peace I've discovered in the hills, and the fantastic people, new friends I've met along the way. Whatever the weight of the troubles we have in our heart the sheer effort of getting up these beautiful monsters will make us forget.
Footnote: after getting back to the car I phoned the wife and told her about doing my 50th; she replied "oh good, only another 170 to go then?". "Er, no ..." I replied, "It's actually another 232...". There was then a significant silence on the other end of the phone ....
