Walkhighlands

I had ants in my pants and felt the need to get out on to the hills, as a huge dump of snow had fallen in recent days. I had been checking out the mountain porn on the webcams all week and simply had to head North. Initially, I had planned to do Ben Challum as my last Munro but I have decided on another M-point for that one. Fraser had been coerced into coming along with the promise that there wouldn't be another epic, in the ilk of Beinn Bhuidhe so the pressure was on to take it easy and enjoy it. As we drove past Loch Lomond, the temperature gauge in the car showed -3C. By the time we parked near Strath Fillan, it read -8C. We donned the gear and with my lovely new Norwegian knitted sweater and new skunk hat, I felt nice and warm. It really was baltic but the views across to Ben More and Stob Binnein, were fantastic. We pushed on up and over the railway line and it wasn't long before we were piling through thigh-deep snow. The vista just got better and better though. By the time, we got halfway up, we were both sweating profusely and I noticed a rather malodorous stench drifting my way. That dirty sod Fraser was honking or so I thought. In fact, to my horror I realised the stench was coming from me and my lovely Norwegian sweater. I smelt like a yak's arse. We continued on and up towards the South Summit and it was arduous going, my heart hammering away. We both agreed lunch at this summit was the order of the day before we pushed on and into the odd gully and then over to the actual summit itself. It was breath-taking in every way. I couldn't remember a more spectacular day on the hill. The photo shows the view back to the South Summit, with Ben More and Stob Binnein in the distance. We didn't hang about though as it was bloody freezing and we had about 2 hours daylight left. A rare uncomplicated return followed with a real sense of satisfaction and Fraser enjoyed a wee dram of Loch Dhu while my abstinence forbade me from sharing. However, it would be hard to better a day on the hill and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience albeit the odorific stench of my being left a lot to be desired.

LOL - that's why I almost always strip down to my t-shirt or similar for the climb and then get rugged up again on the top. I also use a Norwegian zip-neck jumper in winter - I find it really good. I have to say you've made Ben Challum look scarier than I imagined for a winter walk - I was just planning to do it this month - I didn't realise it was so narrow (although the map suggests it is). Maybe I should do it in summer after all...

Hi MC,

it's not that narrow but when you go from the South Summit, into the wee dip then along the col towards the actual summit, you get a nice sense of airiness. It's plenty wide though as you can see from the footprints.

It's a cracking hill in Winter - one of those ones which is probably best done in Winter, in my opinion.

Hint taken on the sweater trick!

Okay - thanks for that. I have to say I looked up a load more piccies of it last night at work to reassure myself and decided it was probably okay. I know what you mean about the wetter hills being better in winter when they're well snowed and frozen though - I'm hoping for that for the Newtonmore Munros in a week or so.

Cracker of a photo. When there's a smell on the go I always blame the dog.

One question though...em...how do you know what the back end of a yak smells like ? Or would you rather nor answer that one .

I have a doctorate in yak faeces.
As well as talking it.

Superb pic

I went up Ben Challum on 9 Feb. was in the mists from the last 100m or so of the south ridge all the way to the summit, and it wasn't easy to find the way from the south top to the summit ridge, but I'd read that in poor visibility that you can't see it and you have to walk a little bit to the west to find the summit ridge.