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Above the clouds on Cruachan

PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 6:57 pm
by Coop
Fantastic day.
Set off from the falls of cruachan train station about 0730 and up the steps, under the railway past the substation, and up the path to the stile !(dodgy).
Path up to the dam then the ladder going up it. Followed the track and as per the WH route. I went past the small cairn and started the walk up. Wouldn't have mattered as it rained at this point and the ground was wet and boggy all the way to 2 large brown boulders.
From here it's all loose rock/ scree upwards to the beallach and the small lochan.
Cloudy and misty all the way to the cairn and broken trig point ( how does this happen?)

Mist was starting to come and go and their were tremendous views all round.
The cloud was low at one point with one or two summits sticking through it. Awesome sight.
Had a bite to eat and some coffee then headed for the slabs, which didn't look to bad from the summit. I started slipping when trying to get over them, so sacked that idea and took the path round them and back up on the ridge. Followed the ridge along to the cairn on Drochaid Ghlas with tremendous views looking back to Ben Cruachan. Back down to the path now.
There were no views in front of me or on the way to the summit of Stob Diamh. Nice cairn, coffee, bearing set to South and pick up the path down to the other cairn on stob garbh..
It was misty at this point so I kept on heading south until I picked the path up again.
Views started to get better and some great views of the ridge.
Down to the dam again, back on the track leading round it and back the way I ascended from here.
Cracking day.
Stob Diamh stayed covered in clag all day, but some of the views from Ben Cruachan and the ridge made up for it.

Cap doffed to Ben Cruachan and Stob Diamh.
Cheers

Wildlife watch, 1 grouse and 1 huge raven sat on a rock on the ridge( not together may I add)

Edit; if you've got a spare minute, have a look at the memorial to the fallen from the area, on your way past

Re: Above the clouds on Cruachan

PostPosted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 7:36 pm
by litljortindan
Lucky you!

One of my favourite Scottish hills and the one that got me hooked on walking. Had a similar experience in winter 1998 -could see nothing until the summit when the clouds parted. Also had strong hints of cloud clearing in summer 1989 but never actually happened. Best was the first time in late afternoon Autumn 1988.

One from my 1998 trip though not the best I have from then:
Image