
I was in no hurry to leave my bed and pottered around making breakfast and getting gear ready before finally getting in the car and heading up the road. Although dry in Glasgow I very quickly encountered rain and more rain

Heading along the forest track I stopped for a few photos along the reservoir – although the cloud was down it was quite atmospheric.

However, before I had gone 10 minutes down the track it started to rain. Hoping it wouldn't come to anything I persevered for a bit longer but sadly it was getting heavier. Still believing it wouldn't last, and trusting the water resistance of my trousers to keep out a shower, I added my jacket and continued.
Although just a track through a forest it was relaxing to be out, despite the weather, and I was glad that I'd made the effort

Finally reaching the footpath up Miekle Bin itself, I was out of the relatively sheltered forest and the full force of the wind hit me. I'm sure on a clear day it would have been a lovely view but I could see only a few metres ahead of me


Onwards, I passed a few people coming back down who said that it got worse further up. "Excellent," I replied and continued up with a slightly maniacal grin



I have a big dislike of out-and-back walks, of which this is generally one, so when looking at the map the night before I devised a plan. I followed the "path" which continued over the summit and it petered out completely just before some more forest....

At this point I bashed my way into the trees and discovered that there was something of a route through here that didn't involve too much crawling through the undergrowth


Breaking out the other side I had a quick map check and realised that I had come out a little further east than I had wanted to. Some real off-roading was required here but I managed to vaguely follow a line of fence posts to the stream which was crossed easily onto the beginnings of a track.
From here it was just a case of following the track back to the car park, but I deliberately took the longer way round to take me along the shores of the reservoir before eventually rejoining the outward track, picking up more litter (another of the same bottle I'd picked up at the top... grr



Fortunately I had a pair of shorts in the car so, in a very dignified manner, I got changed at the side of the road before heading home. It was still raining
